As Good As Dead
by Im2xshy
Summary: AU - Eric discovers QSA is sending Bill Compton to procure a human from his area and gets to her first.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, friends! I would have liked to have more of this story in the hopper before I started posting, but y'all were so great with the feedback to the last chapter of Dead On that I thought I'd give you a treat to show my appreciation. The first two chapters are longer than are typical for me, but I'm sure you won't complain, right?**

**~Prologue~**

**~Eric~**

"So after I was done fucking the queen…"

"Do I really want to hear this, Pam?"

"I thought you liked Sophie Anne."

"Only because I have to in order to live in Louisiana."

"Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?" My progeny demanded, hands on her hips. I really should have thought it through better before making Pam. She's beautiful sure and a loyal companion, but a high maintenance woman. Most days she's lucky the bond between maker and child is so strong. And I'm sure as shit glad I never made another one.

"If I must."

"This is important, Eric."

"It's gossip, Pam." I countered, letting her know by the tone of my voice I was bored to death, ha ha.

"Well, if the fact that Sophie Anne is sending Bill Compton to Bon Temps to procure a human girl from _your_ area is merely gossip then I'll forget I ever heard it." She ended with a dramatic sigh and returned to the paperwork she abandoned when I walked into the bar that night.

"A human? What human? Why? She didn't tell me any of this."

"I thought you weren't interested?"

"Pamela…" I growled. I didn't bother issuing a further threat. She knew I'd never hurt her, but likewise knew instead I'd make her do something she found unpleasant.

"Her name is Sookie Stackhouse and she works in a hole in the wall named Merlotte's in a little mudhole town that God forgot named Bon Temps." Pam said dryly.

"Why does the queen want her?"

"I have no idea."

"How do you know this?"

"The queen's favorite pet, Hadley. She's the girl's cousin and after I finished with the queen…"

I held my hand up. I didn't need the play by play.

"You handle things here tonight." I called over my shoulder, heading for the door.

"And what are you going to be doing?"

"I'm going to go find the girl and discover why the queen wants her."

~OOOOO~ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1.

**~Eric~**

This place is a fucking pit. A little pissant hole in the wall in a little pissant town. And what is that coming out of the juke box? Is that…what is that? _Twang_? It smells like bad beer, cigarettes and fried food. _This_ is where the girl works? Who here could possibly have piqued the queen's interest in this way?

There was a shifter working behind the bar. I doubt anyone here knew what he really was. Vampires were the only supernatural beings that had revealed themselves to the rest of the world. Pam texted me that Bill Compton had checked in at Fangtasia like a good vampire and was still there.

A washed up woman with a bad red dye job yelled from the bar back into the kitchen. "Sookie! New table in your section!"

"Thanks, Arlene! I'll be right out!"

Arlene didn't seem to want to get too close to me. That was all right. I didn't really care. Humans were still very apprehensive around vampires and for good reason. We may have come out of the coffin, but half the crap Nan Flanagan was spouting off on television was a load of propaganda bullshit.

I supported the mainstreaming movement only because it made business dealings easier. Pam and I had vast holdings and they took up a lot of our time. Having the bar as home base let your food and sexual entertainment walk right up to you though admittedly, humans have bored me as of late (and by 'late' I meant the last century or so). They were all the same and the ones that came into the bar were generic and depressing.

Little did I know that in the next second, that was all going to change.

She burst into the main bar area like a comet. She stopped at the end of the bar. A blonde man on the end kissed her on the cheek. She looked happy to see him. She gave him a hug and a smile that could light the whole room on fire. She was trying to give the young man her full attention, but she kept looking at the man sitting at the table next to them. When she glanced in the redneck's direction, she looked annoyed. He seemed to have offended her in some manner though what exactly happened, I couldn't say. He didn't speak. Even from the other side of the noisy bar, I would have heard him.

After another minute of this curious behavior, she picked up the beer on the man's table and tossed it in his face. He yelped and jumped up, swatting at his shirt. Well, that was surprising.

"God dammit, Sookie!" the shifter behind the bar swore.

"What'd you say to my sister?" her blonde companion demanded. So they were related. I was strangely relieved to discover that. I hadn't gotten the full look of her yet, but her hair looked like sunshine, her skin flawless and her curves sinful.

"Nothing." The man growled. I had a sudden, unexplainable urge to rip his arms off. All the humans in the vicinity were watching the scene with interest. Some started taking bets; 20 on the redneck; 20 on "Stackhouse." I watched the girl. Stackhouse decked the redneck.

"Jason!" the girl, Sookie, shrieked. She grabbed her brother and turned in my direction. I finally got my first full view of her.

And just like that, my world gained beauty.

"I'll be right with you, sir." She murmured as she passed by my table, her fingers grazing the wood. She dragged her brother behind a partition that was right behind my booth. I assumed she wanted privacy, but I, of course, could hear their hushed conversation with perfect clarity.

"What the fuck, Sook? Wanna tell me why I punched Trent?"

"You didn't have to, Jason." She hissed in return.

"I'd like to at least know what he said." Jason replied. There was a long pause before Jason swore. "Fuck."

"Jason-"

"God damn motherfucker, it happened again."

"I'm sorry, Jason."

"I can't deck every guy in town because of what they _think_, Sookie. I've gotten in more fucking fights because of this."

_Because of what they think? _Intriguing. So the brother knew the redneck Trent hadn't said anything either.

"Jason, I'm sorry. It's very busy here and -" She paused a minute and then continued defensively. "I _did not_ realize he didn't say it out loud."

"Stay the fuck outta my head. And stay the fuck outta everyone else's head."

So she was a mind reader of some sort. A beautiful, young, human mind reader. Could she read the shifter? Could she read _me_?

Jason emerged from behind the partition and stormed back to the bar. Sookie paused just next to me and took a deep breath. She turned to me and smiled tightly. I gave no indication I heard the whole exchange. I looked up into her eyes, which were the color of a mid-winter sky as I remembered it from my human life.

Her breath caught in her chest and her heartbeat sped up as she looked at me. She knew immediately what I was and I was surprised again. It usually took humans longer to recognize a vampire in a setting like this.

"Good evening, sir. What can I get you?" Oh, that throbbing jugular looks promising…

"Are you Sookie Stackhouse?" I asked.

Her eyes widened. "Who wants to know?"

"I do."

"And you are?"

"Eric Northman, vampire sheriff of Area 5."

"What's Area 5?"

"Where you live."

"Bud Dearborn is our sheriff."

She was feisty and I was fascinated.

"He is the human sheriff."

"I didn't realize there was a vampire sheriff."

"Do you get many vampires here?"

"Are you investigating something?"

"I am."

She surprised me again by sticking her hand out to me. "It's nice to meet you."

"Vampires don't shake hands."

"Humans do; you're in a human establishment. You wouldn't want to be rude, would you?"

I found myself doing something very uncharacteristic and shaking her hand. The air was hot and charged with electricity and she sucked in her breath when I took her hand. "Holy cheese and rice, this is amazin'."

"Excuse me?"

"I can't hear you."

"I said, 'excuse me?'"

"No, I heard that I -"

"Sookie! Order up!" yelled a ragingly gay black man from the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, I have to -" She scrambled. "Don't go anywhere, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"I'm sorry. Did you want something to drink? Sam stocks some of that TrueBlood. He doesn't stock a lot because we don't get vampires, but I think there's some back there."

"I'm fine, Miss Stackhouse."

"Are you sure? If you don't have something to drink, you're not going to…" She glanced nervously around her and I couldn't help myself.

I leaned forward and looked up at her. "Pick off one of the customers? No, not likely."

"I'm sorry. That was…it's just you're…"

"You're first vampire." I finished sitting back again. "I'm not offended, Miss Stackhouse."

"Please call me Sookie."

"If you prefer." I nodded.

"Sookie! Ding, fucking ding, Hookah! Get your fine fucking ass over here and pick up this food!"

That one needed a lesson in manners.

She rushed off to the kitchen. She looked just as good going as she did coming. I watched her rush around to catch up with her work. Every now and then, she appeared to be confused or struggling when someone spoke to her. Now that I knew she was some kind of mind reader, her strange mannerisms made more sense. It seemed almost like she was reacting to thoughts but trying desperately not to.

She seemed to be well-liked, but half of the people also seemed to be cautious around her; like they thought there was something not entirely right about her. I recognized this human instinct because it was the same one I was afforded when confronting new humans. It's what made the waitress Arlene wary of approaching me. It was a natural survival instinct of humans.

Arlene was friendly with her; the gay man loved to flirt raucously with her; the shifter was in love with her; the loud female bartender seemed very devoted to her; the brother was grudgingly protective of her and the other half of the town folk seemed to coddle her like they would the village idiot.

Her brother staggered out a while later with his companions. The redneck Trent was long gone. Around 11 o'clock, Sookie came back to my booth with her bag and slid in across from me.

"Can I get you something to drink now?"

"You just sat down." I noted.

"My shift's over. But you haven't wanted anything. Aren't you bored just sitting here?"

"No."

"You said you were investigating something. I don't know anything about vampires. I don't think I'll be much help to you."

I pushed at her mind. This would go a lot easier my way. She flinched a little, but I couldn't feel that I had gotten hold of her. I didn't understand; she was looking right at me.

"How did you know so quickly that I was a vampire?"

"You glow."

"Excuse me?"

She waved her finger around me and repeated, "You glow."

"I don't glow."

"You do to me." She shrugged. She seemed as intrigued by me as I was by her. "Would you mind if we went outside? There's a table out back and I don't like to linger too long when I'm not working."

"You want to go outside alone with a vampire?"

"I thought with the invention of the synthetic blood you didn't feed on humans."

I gave her an amazed half laugh. "You are sweet."

"Not really." She countered.

"How do you know you are safe with me?"

"I guess I don't." She said. "But you want something from me, so I know I'm at least safe until I figure out what it is."

I stood up from the booth and held my hand out to the side indicating she should go first. I followed her out the front door, mindful of the eyes that watched us and inhaled the wake of her scent as we walked. To the side of the parking lot, right on the tree line was a battered picnic table.

"So tell me…sheriff?"

"You may call me Eric."

"What are you investigating, Eric?"

"You."

"Excuse me?"

"Have you ever heard of Sophie Anne LeClerq?"

"No."

"She is vampire queen of Louisiana."

She blinked once and then laughed. "I'm sorry. Did you say queen?" I nodded and she laughed again. She seemed a little astonished. "A queen of Louisiana." I nodded again. "Is she like your governor?"

"She's more powerful than a human governor, more wealthy and more deadly." Sookie shifted a bit then. She finally seemed to show a little nervousness.

"Do all states have queens?"

"Some have kings."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"She has dispatched a vampire to procure you."

"You?"

"No."

"Why should I believe you?"

"You shouldn't."

"What are you doing here?"

"Our protocol dictates that I be informed if harm is to befall a human, vampire or other creature in my area. I was not. I learned of the queen's designs…through other channels. It made me curious as to why she would circumvent me. I came here tonight to see for myself."

"I see."

"Do you?"

"No, not really." She replied. I caught myself smiling. What was that? The third time I smiled at her tonight? That must be some sort of record. "You're the first vampire I ever met. Why would a vampire queen want anything to do with a waitress from Bon Temps?"

"Well, it's not a waitress she wants. I doubt she would be interested in your friend Arlene. I assume she wants you for your mindreading talents."

"What did you…how did you…" Her mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide. God dammit she was sweet. Her naiveté was so fucking endearing I wanted to stun her like that again. Why wouldn't she glamour? Was it because of her gift? And now that we were outside with the scents of the bar away from us, she smelled…incredible. She had a saccharine aroma to her, mixed with a floral scent and, if I wasn't mistaken, sunlight.

"My senses are more defined than yours, Sookie. I'm extremely observant. Is that what you meant before when you said you couldn't hear me?" I replied. She nodded her head vigorously. "Can you hear your boss?"

"I don't listen to him."

"But can you?"

"Yes, sometimes though he's not as easy as the others."

"Are you psychic?"

"Telepathic."

"That is why the queen wants you."

"Well, she will be disappointed." Sookie said. "I'm not her subject; I'm human. I'm not about to pick up and just go…where does she live?"

"New Orleans."

"I'm not going to New Orleans."

"Perhaps you missed the part where I said she was powerful?"

"You know, your lady is on tv all the time touting how misunderstood y'all are and how you mean humans no harm. This is what she means?"

"This is what she hides." I nodded.

"What's in it for you?" she suddenly demanded.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you get out of coming out here first?"

More than I bargained for, that was for sure.

"At the moment, nothing."

"And what if you 'procured' me first? Could you do that?"

Interesting idea. I was just curious when I got here, but the more time I spent with her, the more I wanted to know about her. How long was her hair out of that ponytail? Speaking of hair, was she blonde all over? Did she talk in her sleep? Did she have any more family other than the brother who bailed on her and left her to handle herself amongst a bunch of drunken men?

"I could."

"What does that entail?"

"A lot of shocking things."

"I'm not easily shocked."

"Little girl, you have no idea what really goes bump in the night."

That made her nervous, but she was too inquisitive to back off, so I showed her my fangs. She gasped and looked around her quickly, I'm sure to see if there was anyone close enough to help her.

"Wow, you're…real."

That's not what I thought she was going to say.

"Yes, and very dangerous. There are those of my kind that have no interest in being nice to you. You are a meal to them. You are a quick fuck to them."

"I am a _lady_!" She snapped back. That made me grin widely. She was a virgin. How did she get this far in life without sex? Were the men in Bon Temps incredibly stupid? They couldn't possibly be afraid of the brother.

"You are ripe for the picking." I shot back. Before she could get uppity about that, I caught the scent of another vampire. I was sure it was Bill Compton. I stood up, slung Sookie across my back and shot into the sky. She clung to me in terror and screamed her lungs out.

**~Sookie~**

Eric touched down right at the bottom of my front steps. I was whimpering and clutching him so hard, I was sure I'd leave nail marks in his skin.

We _flew_. He could _fly_. I never imagined something like that. I mean, I was _airborne._

"This is where you live?" He asked easily looking around at my house.

"How did you know?"

"I didn't. This is where your scent was the strongest. I assumed you lived here or knew the owner very well."

"I – I live here." I stuttered still attached to his back. Should I have told him that?

"Don't be afraid, Sookie." He laughed. "Remember this: a vampire can't come into your house without an invitation."

"But they can slaughter me in my yard, right?" I retorted. He lost his humor.

"Yes, they can."

What was he doing here? Why had he really sought me out tonight? And Jesus Christ his body felt amazing underneath mine. I was intoxicated by the silence of his mind. It was like a breath of fresh air. Of course, that meant I didn't know if he wanted to kill me or not.

"Sookie, you can get down now." He said.

"Uh-huh." I squeaked but made no attempt to move. I think I was literally frozen to him.

"I'll bring you to the porch." He walked up the front steps and deposited me on the swing, then leaned casually against the railing. I was still reeling a bit from the flight over here, which took all of maybe two minutes.

"Why did you do that?" I asked.

"Do what?"

"Fly me away from Merlotte's like a bat out of hell."

"I am a bat out of hell."

"Funny."

"The vampire I told you about was getting closer."

"Does he want to hurt me?"

"I have no idea; I am not a mind reader." Eric shrugged. "Maybe he just wanted to scope you out like I did, but just the same, I found myself not ready to have you scoped."

"This is all a very strange night for me." I muttered, pressing the palm of my hand to my forehead.

"Oh not just for you."

"Oh, really? And is there a supernatural creature you never knew existed until recently trying to 'procure' you for unknown, but probably terrifying, purposes as well?" I snapped.

"No, there is an engaging human girl slithering under my skin for the first time in a very long while. How is that happening?"

"Well, that's a question you have to answer yourself."

"No, the question I really have to answer is 'why am I letting her?'"

"Got me."

"I seem to."

He stared at me intently and I felt a pressure in my head again. "What are you doing? Is that you?" I asked unconsciously pressing my fingers to my forehead.

"You don't feel at all influenced by me right now?"

"Should I?"

"You should be like a puppet on a string to me right now. If I say jump, you should respond with 'how high.' Yet, you're looking at me as if you're waiting for something to happen."

"Are you trying to _hypnotize _me?" I asked aghast. "Don't you think that's a little rude?"

"Rude? Well, Miss Manners, since you touched me specifically to try to read my mind, under the circumstances, I don't find it rude."

"How did you know that's what I was doing?"

"You touched me and then said you couldn't hear me. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out once I realized what your gift was."

"My gift? You mean my disability."

"Oh no, Miss Stackhouse." He said pushing off the railing and walking toward me. "Make no mistake, you are _gifted_ and that is why the queen wants you. And if Sophie Anne knows about you, it's not long before other vampires do. Sophie Anne likes to show off. She will most definitely brag about you. Your name will spread through the vampire world like wild fire."

"What does that mean?"

"It means your life is about to change in dangerous and shocking ways."

"I like my life the way it is."

"I'm sorry, little girl, but that's out of my hands."

"You say 'little girl' and I think of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood."

"Well, I'm sure you're going to have to be wary of the wolves too."

This had to be the most bizarre conversation I had ever had in my life. Eric paced up and down my porch slowly, alternating his attention between me and the pitch black woods surrounding my house. I was suddenly wondering what really lived out there. Knowing that vampires couldn't come into the house without an invitation was definitely a good tip, but were there other things that _could_ come in without an invitation?

"What am I supposed to do now?" I asked. He stopped his pacing and looked at me curiously. "I mean, you're just going to dump this on me and leave? You're not going to give me any tips on how to defend myself against this? He can't come into my house without an invitation, that's just great. He _can_ come into the bar and snatch me from there. Nothing stopped you from just walking in and turning my life upside down. Are you going to protect me? What am I supposed to _do_?"

He grinned widely and I realized that he seemed to be waiting for just that question. I knew then that I was much more naïve in the workings of this unexplored world than I thought. I mean, I'm not worldly, but I didn't think I was an idiot either. I might not be the most educated girl in town, but I was an avid reader. However, I just sauntered through a door without checking to see if there was fire on the other side.

"I could protect you." He said simply.

"How?"

"I'm not without a certain amount of power and authority."

"But not more than the queen."

"I can outsmart her easily enough and the procurer Bill Compton is much younger than I. But I don't do anything for free."

Of course not. I could only imagine what his "fee" would be. Before I asked about that though, something else occurred to me.

"Just how old are you?"

"I'm not sure exactly." He shrugged showing little interest. "I was turned over 1,000 years ago and I was in my late 20's at the time."

My jaw dropped. "You're more than a _thousand_ years old?"

"There are those older than me."

I just didn't know what to say to that other than, "I'm 24."

"That's very sweet." He smiled wider.

"How much is your fee?"

"It's not about money, my beauty."

"No, of course not. It's about sex." He laughed at my frank answer. Though I was beyond scared by the whole topic of conversation, I couldn't help but acknowledge a few things about this vampire sheriff of Area 5. First of all, he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. His eyes were such a pure blue that you could forget that he was a ruthless vampire. He seemed genuinely interested in me and I found myself daring to cautiously trust him. I would imagine that the queen was probably paying this procurer a hefty sum to obtain me and that Eric could just turn me over to her on his own. I supposed he still could. Then there was the fact that I liked the sound of his laugh.

"I won't lie to you, Sookie, it was about sex. But now, it's about a little more. You surprise me, and that is a rare quality in a breather. I don't appreciate the queen doing an end run around me to acquire a being from my area. There are several options to ensure she never gets her hands on you, but they're all a little extreme and if I were to tell them to you now, your hair would curl in fright."

"You're trying to shock me."

"I don't have to try very hard. Like I said, you're ripe for the picking."

"What is your fee, Eric?" I asked again.

"For my protection?" He replied and I nodded. "For starters, I have humans working for me, you can read them."

"That's it?" I asked.

"For now."

"And what happens if you don't like what I discover?"

"I'll deal with it."

"If it's something illegal, will you turn them over to the police?"

"That's not the way it's done in the vampire world."

"That's the way it's done in the human word."

"Tell me, Sookie, do you lend your telepathic services to the humans often?"

Damn, he had me there. Our local police detective, Andy Bellefleur, already suspected what my disability was and in some moments, I caught him wishing he could use me to crack his police cases. He'd always get the bad guy and be the most famous detective in America. I got a new fear one day when he realized that if he started to do that, I'd just be taken away by the federal government for them to use.

"If humans break human laws, they get turned over to the _human _authorities. That's the deal. Take it, or leave it." I said as forcefully as I could. I even crossed my arms over my chest to show I meant business.

Eric raised his eyes and looked at me for a minute. Then turned and started down the stairs. "Give my regards to the queen." He tossed over his shoulder and continued to walk away.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

**A/N: I notice some new readers. Welcome! I hope I can hold your attention. Thank you for the feedback. I try to answer them all! I put this in the True Blood universe in case I want to poach some of the characters from there. I think with this one, I'll just pull an Alan Ball and lift from the books what suits me. Speaking of Alan Ball, I haven't bothered to put a disclaimer on either of my stories. But we're all intelligent here; we know who actually owns these characters right? (I'll give you a hint: it's not me.) One more thing and then I'll shut up and let you read, I'm sure you can pick out the lines that aren't mine too. ;)**

**~Eric~**

"Eric!" Sookie shrieked. I heard the swing creak as she popped out of it and threw herself onto the railing. I stopped walking and smiled. "You big bullshitter! If you meant that, you'd have flown off instead of giving me the chance to stop you."

Well, well, well. Isn't she clever? I added that to her growing list of attributes and turned around to face her. She looked beautiful with the moonlight washing over her. She also looked pissed off. That suited her, as well.

"I do not abide betrayal, Sookie, no matter who does it."

"And I can't be responsible for another human's death." She raised her chin proudly and squared her shoulders.

Every instinct I had screamed that she was more than what met my incredibly keen eye. Perhaps even the queen didn't know everything. She was certainly Sophie Anne's type; she resembled her cousin. But there was a magnificent energy that surrounded her that I wasn't sure I could identify. However I was sure it wasn't human.

I knew if I didn't help her, she was as good as dead. What I didn't know was why I cared.

I was having fun and I hadn't had genuine fun in decades. I walked slowly back until I stood below her, then I levitated up until I was eye level with her. I chuckled when I saw that it unnerved her a bit.

"It would have to depend on the offense, Sookie. Some things are unforgiveable."

"That leaves too much open to interpretation."

"Yes. Take it or leave it."

Take it, you silly woman. At this point, she was getting my protection whether she wanted it or not though I much preferred not to undermine myself right out of the gate.

There were very few things I was sure of in this moment. One, I wanted her. I wanted her so fucking bad I was beginning to imagine how she would taste. Two, she was a gifted human in my area and as sheriff of the area in which she resided, I was duty bound to protect her (at least, that's what I was telling myself). Three, allowing the queen or Bill Compton to get their hands on her was unacceptable.

Three was the one that was really causing me the turmoil. Why was it so unacceptable? I should just pluck her up and fly her to New Orleans right now. I'd be the queen's favorite for sure. As a loyal subject of the queen of Louisiana and one of her most trusted and successful sheriffs, that was my job. Yet the thought of Sophie Anne or anyone else laying a finger on something so pure…

That must be it. You always remembered your first time and I was a selfish creature. If I was the first to conquer these uncharted waters, I would always have that over anyone else. She would always remember me. No matter who it was she took as a lover, she would always compare them to me…and I was positive she would find them lacking. I wanted to be the one to chart this particular course.

"We'll take them on a case-by-case basis?" She asked. "I have your word?"

"Yes." Pam was going to be relentless when she got wind of all this. I would have to explain myself and I wasn't remotely ready to do that.

"And how do I know you'll uphold your end of the deal?"

"I will find Bill Compton tonight and tell him you are mine."

"And what exactly does being 'yours' mean?"

Many, many, _many_ things, my delectable little morsel.

"That without a direct edict from the queen, you are off limits."

"But according to you, he already has a direct edict from the queen." She pointed out.

"She'll have to issue another one. They do not know you are claimed."

"What happens when she finds out?"

Why am I not completely annoyed by her constant questions? I would have put the fear of the devil into any other human by now. I was not questioned. I was not interrogated like this. But I was enjoying sparring with her. I would miss it when she got a real taste of my world and all this innocence was stripped away.

"There are other measures we can take, but they're more aggressive. Let's start with this. It may be that she leaves you alone and simply goes through me when she wants to…employ your services." Not bloody fucking likely though.

"You're not going to be my pimp." She hissed.

"More like your agent." I smirked. "Do we have a deal?"

"Why do I get the feeling I'm making a deal with the devil?"

"Because you are."

"Then why should I do it?"

"Because the devil you know is better than the devil you don't."

"I don't _know_ you."

"We'll rectify that."

"If I say yes, you're not going to bite me to seal the deal?" She was an absolutely delightful creature.

"Sookie, I swear I will never bite you without your permission." And where the fucking _hell_ did that come from?

"All right, sheriff, you have yourself a deal."

She held out her hand to shake on it. I took it in mine and kissed the back of it. That energy shot right from her skin and down to my toes. What _was_ she? She was more than a telepath. This was more than overactive brainwaves on her part. Was she a witch? I didn't sense magic. Well, I did, but not that kind of magic.

She smiled as I lowered her hand. Yes, she held some sort of magic over me because I was most certainly bewitched.

"Invite me in, my beauty."

"What? Why?"

"So I can get the lay of the land so to speak." I hopped over the railing and stood in front of her.

"How does the invitation work?"

"You say, Sheriff Northman, you attractive and virile man, would you like to come inside and make mad passionate love with me?"

"How about 'Eric, would you like to come in and see the house?'"

"I think mine sounded more enticing." I replied as I followed her over the threshold.

"Do I have to invite you in every single time you come here?" she asked. I liked the thought of being a repeat visitor to her house.

"No. I will not need another invitation unless you rescind this one. And I will tell you right now, that is a bad idea. If you are ever unconscious in here and I need to get in, I will not be able to do so."

"So if I rescind a vampire's invitation, they _have _to leave?"

"Yes."

"Absolutely have to?"

"Yes. As long as your voice works, that's the first thing you should do."

"What's the second?"

"Silver."

"Silver?"

"Silver is incapacitating to us."

"Will it kill you?"

"No, but like I said, you can incapacitate a vampire long enough to get away."

The more she asked about self-defense against vampires, the more worried about her I grew. Silver was all fine, well and good, but a vampire's speed alone would give them the upper hand there.

She turned on lights and I wandered around the house. It was very old and much of it was in disrepair. I imagined it had been in the family for generations.

"Do you live here alone?" I asked wandering the living room.

"Yes. Jason and I were raised by our Gran after our parents died. Gran died a few years ago." Sookie explained. She pointed to the wall behind me and when I turned, I saw a framed newspaper article about a funeral. I assumed it was her grandmother's. She framed the article? That was a twisted little quirk.

Actually, it gave me another quality to add to my list. Sookie's family meant a great deal to her. I scanned the article. It said Adele Stackhouse died of a heart attack. She left behind two grandchildren, Sookie and Jason, children of Corbett Hale Brigant Stackhouse…

Whoa, back the truck up.

Corbett Hale _Brigant_ Stackhouse?

I knew that name. That name instilled fear in the older vampire community. The younger ones would most likely not know it and they were very lucky. I turned and looked at Sookie. She was looking at me with those big, blue eyes.

"Sookie, what else can you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean other than the telepathy, is there anything else you can do?"

"I can touch the end of my nose with the tip of my tongue." She said and proceeded to give me a demonstration. Now I was visualizing the other talents that tongue might have.

I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed the images out of my head. "Nothing else? There's nothing else out of the ordinary you can do?"

"Nope, sorry to disappoint you." She shrugged. This night was anything but a disappointment. "If you don't mind, I'm just going to go ahead and get changed. Feel free to poke around a bit." Then she stuck her finger in my face. "Do _not_ follow me to the bedroom. You can see it when I'm done."

I smiled in return. She was beginning to understand me and I found that oddly appealing. In the time it took her to change, I had scouted the whole house. I saw nothing too noteworthy, nothing of Niall Brigant. Did she know? Did she know she shared a name with the most powerful and feared fairy ever to have existed? I highly doubted it. I could be pretty confident Sophie Anne didn't know this. She was shrewd, but even she would not have the guts to take on the fae. They were delicious, but nasty little fuckers.

There was no place in the house that could be considered light tight, not that I really expected there to be. That meant if I found myself here too close to dawn, I would actually have to sleep in the ground. I _really _hated that. And then, when I woke up covered in dirt and mud and bugs, I would have to face Pam with ruined clothes and ruined hair.

I'd rather be silvered.

So I was going to have to figure out how to talk Sookie into letting me put in some sort of light tight space. Yes, of course I realized that I only met her a few hours ago. I don't know what I was expecting her to be when I set out for Bon Temps tonight, but it wasn't a telepathic-apple pie-possibly part fairy-seductress that was for damn sure. But the light tight space wasn't _just_ for me. Though her telepathic-apple pie-possibly part fairy-seductress status warranted as much personal protection as I could give her, sometimes it was going to be Pam, or Bubba, or another equally trustworthy – no, just Pam or Bubba.

The answer to the question of how long her hair was was answered when she wandered back out into the living room wearing pink and black plaid pajama pants, a second-skin tight pink tank top and her golden hair fell over her shoulders in gentle sun-kissed waves. Her face was scrubbed clean and she looked fresh and natural. If she thought I glowed, she damn near radiated.

She dropped down onto the couch with a yawn and I shot back into her bedroom to take a look around. It was purely reconnaissance. No really, it was. Her scent was overpowering in that room. I think I expected it to be a little more female. The linens were soft and the furniture was dark wood. The room was definitely Old South. It had been a few decades since I was in a woman's room. Pam's human room I think was the last one. Now her bedroom looked like someone vomited pink all over it.

I returned to the living room and Sookie was curled up under the ugliest blanket I'd ever seen.

"Everything pass muster?" She asked.

"No." I answered. She looked surprised.

"What's wrong?"

"Sookie, I don't know how to broach a topic like this, so I'm just going to come out with it. I'm not someone who beats around the bush."

"That much about you I've already figured out."

"There is nowhere in this house suitable for a vampire to sleep during the day in a pinch, so I'm going to have someone come out and build one. I'll pay for it."

"What, like an addition?"

"No." I said looking around again. "There are options. It doesn't need to be big or fancy, but it needs to be light tight. There are companies that specialize in it."

I sat down on the opposite side of the couch from her and she turned toward me and slid her knees up.

"It won't always be me that needs it." I continued. "There will be times when it's my child -"

"You have a _kid_? You're a _father_?"

"A vampire child." I smiled. "She's adult and extremely capable." One day I would tell her about the human children I once had. I wanted her to know me…just not yet. I was still getting used to the idea. "Her name is Pam. There is one other vampire I trust with your safety, but for now, it will be either myself or Pam that will watch over you. Sookie, there is something else I'd like you to consider."

"What's that?"

"If you drank my blood -"

"Ew! Eric!"

"—it's not as bad as that. If you drank my blood, I'd be able to track you anywhere. I would know when you were in danger. I would feel your fear, among other things, and I would be able to get to you very quickly."

"Really? And just how many women can you track?"

I grinned at her. She didn't want to be part of a vampire harem and I liked that. She didn't deserve to be either. If the queen got hold of her, she would be part of her court, and anyone would be able to feed off of her. I was finding myself wanting to be the only one that got to have her.

"None but Pam."

"Do you expect me to believe that?"

"Surely you have heard of what kind of drug vampire blood is considered to be?" I asked. She nodded. Well, at least we weren't flying completely blind here. "I'm over a thousand years old. The older the blood, the better it is. I don't donate mine…to _anyone_… but it would fetch a hefty sum for sure. A blood exchange, where I take yours as well, would make the bond stronger. The more you exchange, the stronger it is. After three exchanges in a short period of time, it becomes permanent. It is only breakable by death."

"And that's the most effective form of protection?"

"No, marrying you is. If I married you,_ no_ supernatural being could come near you for any reason under penalty of death."

"Wow."

"Indeed."

"I'm not ready to get married."

"That makes two of us."

"Will it hurt if you bite me?"

"Not if it's done during a sexual frenzy. I understand it's pretty enjoyable for humans then." She blushed. She actually blushed right down her body. I was completely enchanted. A genuine blush on a woman.

I was done for. I glided across the couch and slid my hand up the back of her neck and into her silky hair. She gasped a bit, but her eyes stayed locked with mine, even when my fangs ran out. I was surprised when she smiled, sighed and closed her eyes. My other hand ran down her neck and along her shoulder before my lips descended on hers.

That energy shot right into me and stirred me up. A thousand years, countless women, and some men, and I'd never had this before; an attraction so intense with a girl so inexperienced the mere thought made me feel like I was going to jump out of my skin in anticipation. I moved my lips to her neck and her collarbone.

"Oh my," she sighed. "This is a dream. This has to be a dream." I agreed wholeheartedly. This kind of thing didn't happen to me. I didn't take lovers. I had sex, sure, all the time, but I wasn't exclusive to anyone and I certainly didn't consider giving them blood. I slid her over into my lap and she straddled over me.

"I'm really not a slut." She breathed into my ear as she kissed my neck.

"I know." I chuckled.

"Sex wasn't really appealing when you can hear what was going on in the guy's head." No, I didn't imagine it would be and that certainly explained that.

I ran my hand down her sides, over her hips and then up to her breasts. She dropped her head slowly back, closed her eyes and sighed. I was completely mesmerized. Something in me shook loose and things seemed to fall into place. She was what was missing from my life. I didn't even know I was missing anything until now. I didn't glamour her, she didn't have a death wish, and she was putty in my skilled hands. But then again, she could probably order right off the menu right now and I don't think I would deny her anything.

She curled her fingers up into my hair and I bent forward to kiss my way down to the swell of her breasts. My cell phone went off in my pocket and I didn't have to answer it to know it was Pam. She couldn't feel me as strongly as she used to, but she was still bonded to me and she would feel the emotional upheaval I was experiencing. Her curiosity would be getting the better of her now.

Sookie was breathing hard and her heart sounded like it was going to beat right out of her chest. I could feel the energy coursing from her to me. My skin felt _alive_ wherever she touched it. Maybe she wasn't the one in trouble at all, maybe it was me. Maybe I fell into the trap. If that was true, she was a helluva piece of bait. My face tingled where her fingertips came in contact with it. I couldn't recall ever feeling anything like this. After a thousand years, I didn't think I could be surprised by sex anymore but there I was, gaping like a fish when she pulled away and looked into my eyes. She looked scared.

"What is it? What's the matter?" I asked. For God's sake, why were we _stopping_? Was this torture? Was this my punishment for something?

"I'm really very nervous. I've never done this before and you've got _a lot_ of experience and I don't want to be bad at it and I've heard it hurts like hell the first time…" She rambled and looked down between us instead of at me. I smiled when she started blushing again. "This is mortifying," she muttered.

I hooked my finger under her chin and tipped her gaze back up to mine. "It will not hurt at all, I promise. And you will not be bad at it." That, I knew, was absolutely impossible. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm about to experience something I never have before."

"Oh great, way to raise the bar."

I grabbed her and ran her to the bedroom and gently dropped her on the bed. For her it was instantaneous and her face showed her shock, but then she laughed and I couldn't help but smile. It was melodic. Dear God, was _everything_ about her beautiful? I even liked her feisty little temper.

"No, Sookie, this is…" I shook my head trying to get a handle on myself. "This is the beginning."


	3. Chapter 3

3.

**A/N: All right, I admit it. I am a feedback whore. The more feedback I get, the more I smile and the more excited I get, the more motivated I am and the faster I write and post. There I said. Have at it.**

**~Sookie~**

As someone who can hear men's thoughts and has heard my fair share of pickup lines, that sounded pretty damn sincere. I know he's had a lot of women. I was willing to bet he couldn't possibly remember all of them and wasn't broken up about it either. I was about to go to bed with someone who I didn't know; someone who could kill me with the flick of his wrist. I certainly couldn't fathom the amount of people who have died at his hands. I didn't know the first thing about his life and I was taking him at his word.

Yet, it felt _right_.

It felt so right I almost laughed with the joy of it. I couldn't _hear_ him and that alone had me excited. He could be thinking he'd walk right out the door when he was done and never look back, I was blissfully in the dark in that regard. And I didn't mind saying that that made me feel a little trashy.

But the way he was softly running his hands over my skin made me feel beautiful. It was as if he was committing each inch of my skin to memory. His lips followed the path of his hands and I was shocked to hear myself moan. He was so amazingly skilled and I was so embarrassingly not.

So why did it feel like I already knew what to do? How did my lips know that he had a sensitive spot behind his ear? Why was I so sure that he meant me no harm? I was keenly aware that every word out of his mouth tonight could very well be a lie, but something inside was preventing me from believing that.

I giggled with the danger and mischief of what I was doing. I was enthusiastically offering my virginity to a total stranger. How many virgins had he had in his thousand years? As he slowly stripped away my clothes, I found myself not caring.

"You are Venus sprung to life." He murmured, taking one rosy peak of my breast into his mouth. I gasped when I felt the slight prick of his fangs. God, that felt…erotic. I giggled again.

"I bet you say that to all the girls."

He picked his head up and looked me right in the eyes. "I won't lie to you, Sookie. I've had sex with women hours after I've met them. I've had sex with women when I didn't know, nor care, what their name was. I have never taken one by force; with my glamour, I haven't needed to. I won't apologize for my life up until I met you this evening. But I promise you, I wasn't lying when I said this was the beginning. Something started between us tonight. I don't know what it is."

I nodded my head. "I know," I said breathless. "I feel so much; it's scary and exciting."

He made me feel beautiful everywhere and that made me brave. I pulled his shirt free and over his head. I had seen men without their shirts before; even seen some naked when Tara and I would hide in the woods while Jason and his friends would go skinny dipping in the creek. I always closed my eyes when Jason came out of the water. Tara didn't. But I knew what the boys around town were carrying.

And they had nothing on Eric.

He looked like he was sculpted with an artist's hands. Smooth and solid, a little cold. I ran my fingers over and over his chest, getting myself acquainted with the terrain. I kissed along his broad shoulders and ran my tongue along his pecks, swirled it around his nipples. My hands ran up and down his washboard stomach.

The way he moved under my fingers made me think he liked it. He hissed in some spots and groaned in others. The more noise he made, the more empowered I felt. The rest of my clothes fell away in a blink of an eye and I was naked beneath him. I blushed furiously as he gazed at me from the top of my head to the tip of my toes, drinking in all that God gave me.

"Perfect," he whispered, then leaned forwarded and kissed me. It started out tender, but quickly got heated. My fingers fumbled clumsily for his pants. God, I was such a moron at this. Could I be any more virginal? "You are perfect."

"Lover," he said softly. I melted at his words. That just slid right off his tongue like silk. "You are beautiful." His hand glided from my hip, up over my stomach, rounded my breasts and came to rest on my shoulder. My whole body seemed to calm under his hands. After that, I had no more awkward hand movements.

However, I did have massive concerns when I saw how large he was.

"Oh Eric, I know I don't know much, but are you sure this is going to work?"

I watched wide-eyed as his fangs ran out and he punctured a small hole in his finger, then slowly inserted his finger inside me and swirled it around. My hips moved with his motions. "For the pain," he whispered. "Our blood has special healing agents in it."

My hands slid down the plane of his back, my fingers swirled around his waist as he moved his hand expertly. My hips moved, my eyes slammed shut as the most amazing feeling swelled inside me. My hands fell away from him and grabbed onto the sheets, leaving my body completely open to him. I knew at some point in this experience he was going to bite me and I found myself not caring. I was almost looking forward to it. Was that sick?

I threw my head back and screamed my released. "Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea." I gasped, frantically trying to catch my breath.

"Sookie," Eric's voice was a whisper away and when I opened my eyes, I saw he was perched above me. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," I sighed. "I'm probably an idiot for it, but yes."

"Good." He slid into me then, slowly, inch by wonderful inch. I didn't think it was possible that all of him would fit, but when he stopped and whispered, "So sweet," I felt my eyes well up with tears. He was right, there was amazingly no pain. Little aftershocks from my first orgasm shot through me. I was surprised when Eric chuckled a bit. He had yet to move. He seemed content just to be buried inside me.

"And just what the hell is so funny?" I demanded.

"I can feel that." He looked down at me, eyes wide in wonder. All I could think was, 'hey, that's supposed to be my look.' "I can feel little shocks inside you. Sookie, is there _anything_ else you can do?"

"Shock the ever loving shit out of you, it seems."

"Literally."

He moved slowly at first, almost cautiously like he wasn't sure what was going to happen next. That made two of us. I matched his rhythm. I was pretty proud of myself so far for keeping up. Something was happening inside me and it was more than another building orgasm. Each time he kissed me, each time he thrust deep within me, I was being freed more and more. I felt like I could fly. I laughed with the exhilarating feeling of it and Eric smiled down at me. I reached up and tentatively touch his fangs with my fingertips and he gently ran them along my wrist. I wasn't afraid of them now. I wasn't afraid of him either. How could I be afraid of anyone that could make something so beautiful?

He started speaking in a language I didn't understand, over and over. His rhythm sped up. I was shocked and gasped when he bit into his wrist. Wow. But it all made sense when he moved his wrist to my mouth. He didn't have to say anything. I wrapped my lips around the wound and sucked as hard as I could. He groaned. It was sweet and thick. It didn't flow as smoothly as I might have expected. He muttered in that language again. I shouted out as my next orgasm slammed through my body like a freight train. I came so hard I thought for sure I'd bruise somewhere.

He whispered something and then bit into my shoulder. I gasped in surprise, but he was right, it didn't hurt. He drank deeply and my eyes crossed with the pleasure from him. Then I felt his tongue swirl around the puncture site like he was cleaning it up. Finally, he collapsed next to me.

I couldn't move if the house was on fire.

We lay like that entwined, neither moving for a while, until his hand started stroking my side. I turned to face him. He looked perplexed, like he was trying to read Chinese algorithms or something.

"Cold?" he asked.

"Yes. But I just don't care at the moment."

He laughed, then reached down and pulled my comforter over us.

"Eric, that was…more than I ever thought it could be."

"For me, as well."

"How is that possible?" I asked. "I mean, with the experience you must have…"

"I've never had an experience like that. Sookie, there is an energy around you, inside you and it engulfed me. There is something more to you, something powerful. Something that has not been harnessed. It makes me more nervous about the queen."

"Eric, I swear to you, there is nothing else I can do."

"That you know of." He shrugged. He seemed so sure. I was sorry he was going to be disappointed. "How do you feel?"

I laughed and rolled back to face the ceiling, raising my hands above me. "Everything is tingly and so much more clear. I feel warm all over."

"It is the vampire blood." He smiled. "You're high, my beauty. It will level off. You'll notice some physical changes that will last as long as the blood runs through your system. Your hair will be shinier, you'll be stronger, you'll have more energy and your sex drive will probably increase."

"Well, considering I wasn't having sex before tonight, I'd say you were right on there."

"This part is important." He said solemnly. "You must take care of yourself. You must take vitamin B supplements. Eat foods with plenty of protein and iron. I drew blood from you, not a lot, but it won't be the last time. Your body needs to stay strong."

"How did I taste?"

An oddly dreamy look came over his face and that surprised me. "Like I've only ever been drinking sand and just found a lush, undiscovered river. You are the sweetest thing I've ever tasted. I will have to be careful never to take too much from you. I think I could lose control and that scares me."

I found it hard to believe he'd ever be scared of anything, but I planned to do as he instructed. Lots of protein and vitamin supplements; I could do that. I liked that he was planning on coming back. It was possible I just fell in love. I supposed it could be the vampire blood. I had heard that it was the drug of choice these days and there were scums that actually drained vampires for their blood and left them for dead. I shuddered at the thought of that happening to Eric, but then again, I don't think anyone could get the upper hand on him. He seemed very strong to me.

I shimmied up against him and his arm curled around me. He kissed my shoulder and seemed content just to look at me. I knew he wouldn't be there in the morning, but at least I knew why. I pressed a kiss to his chest and drifted off to sleep.

**~Eric~**

Sookie's eyes drifted closed and I pressed a kiss to her forehead. I was glad she was falling asleep. Half of me wanted to rouse her and have another amazing experience with her, but the half that was winning out wanted to regroup and try to figure out what the fuck just happened.

I almost felt like I had an out of body experience. Sex with her was literally electric. I found myself more and more sure that she was part fae. She had the sweetest blood I'd ever tasted. By the time I drank from her, I wasn't surprised to discover that considering I had literally been shocked by her. Little electrical currents danced from her body into mine. I wanted to feel them again; I wanted to feel them always. A telepathic fairy hybrid.

Fuck.

I was one of the few vampires around that knew that there were still fairy that walked the earth. Vampires were deadly to fairies. They were intoxicating to us. That is why I had to be very, very careful with Sookie. And I needed to tell her. There was a lot I needed to tell her.

I rested my head on my arm and pulled her as close to me as I could get her. I was still reeling from what had happened to me tonight. What _had _happened to me tonight? I was enamored. I felt her flow through me and seep into all the nooks and crannies. I closed my eyes and let her wash over me. I could feel she was asleep. I felt happy, almost giddy. That was the blood exchange. I tried to imagine how much more amplified this would feel if were fully bonded. Did I want that? There was a lot of responsibility to a person with something like that. First of all, she would be human. She would feel things that Pam did not.

There was a lot going on inside me. Unrest. No doubt Pam and Godric were wondering just what the hell happened to me tonight. It was only a matter of time before Godric summoned me or came to see for himself. That scared the hell out of me. Godric was a gentle soul, but that didn't mean he wouldn't or couldn't hurt her, or worse, order me to hurt her. I would never do so otherwise, but I could not defy a command from my maker. Just as I couldn't enter her house uninvited, I couldn't ignore the will of Godric.

Of course, I couldn't imagine any circumstances that Godric would want to make me suffer in that way. And I would. If something happened to her, by my hand or not, I knew I'd feel great pain. That was the most frightening feeling running through me. I now had a weakness. A big, blonde, delicious, beautiful weakness. How exactly had this happened? How could I come to care about her so quickly? Or was that part of the mysterious magic of her? Was it the fae blood that attracted me so thoroughly?

More to the point, did I _care_ what higher powers were at work here? I felt again; I cared again; I was happy. It couldn't possibly be love but I thought it would be one day. Or maybe it was and I just couldn't recognize it.

What I knew without a doubt was that she was _mine_ and I protected what was mine.

Fiercely.

"Lover," I nudged her gently and she murmured something unintelligible. I smiled at how reluctant she was to rouse out of her blissful slumber. I was willing to wager she wasn't a morning person.

She lifted her head to me and smiled drowsily.

I forgot what I was going to say.

"Let's do that again." Her voice was thick with sleep and sex.

There was another reason I woke her up, wasn't there?

Her hand touched my cheek and it tingled. Her lips pressed to mine and _I_ yielded to _her_. She pushed me onto my back and climbed above me. Her hair fell down and tickled my face, her luscious breasts dangled right there in front of my eyes.

Yes, this was definitely why I woke her up. Look at her up there, all hot and sexy…

"Bill Compton!" I suddenly remembered and sat up.

"What! Bill Compton?" She yelped, hopped off me and yanked the sheet up to her chin like she was about to find him standing in her bedroom.

"No, lover, sorry." I quickly tried to reassure her. "I only have few hours before dawn; I have to find Bill Compton."

"Cheese and rice, Eric, you scared the shit outta of me." I didn't know what the hell that meant, but my God, I loved that sweet drawl of hers. Her heart was pounding. The sound of it was echoing around in my head like a metronome. Her chest heaved while she tried to regain control of herself. I was drawn in to her breasts again.

What was I saying?

Oh, Bill Compton.

God dammit, she drove me to distraction. She _was_ a seductress! She was sent to me from hell. She had to have been. I just didn't react like this to women, human or otherwise and I was operating under the impression this one was an otherwise.

"Are you working tonight?" I asked her.

"No," she shook her head.

"Come to Fangtasia at dusk." I ordered.

"Why?"

_Why?_ So I can fuck you blind again, that's why.

"There are things I need to talk to you about." I said instead. "There are things you need to see. I need to start exposing you to my world and I want the vampires in the area to know you. I want them to understand you are mine and not to be harmed."

"What makes you think they'll listen to you just like that?"

"I am sheriff."

"So?"

"If one of them harms one hair on your head, Sookie, I will give them the final death. That is what being sheriff means."

Her heart rate sped up again and she licked her lips then smiled. "Are you the Godfather?"

"I'm something a lot like it."

"Eric, you can't kill everyone who hurts me." She whispered as the enormity of being mine began to sink in.

I looked her straight in the eye and glared. "Watch me."

"Eric!"

"Remember when I said some things were unforgivable?" I asked and she nodded her head quickly. "That is one of them. The vampires in my area are sworn to me. There are about to be several laws put into place concerning you." Her smile got bigger, but I don't think it was because she liked what she was hearing. "If a vampire hurts you, Sookie, they will be staked for it."

"What if someone just pisses me off?"

She really was adorable. "Well, somehow I do not think you would let me kill them for that, though I would, you know." She shook her head frantically, deflating some of my fun. "Believe me, lover, people are about to be a lot nicer to you." Because if they weren't, they'd experience many unpleasant things.

My phone began to ring again, and this time I fished it out of my pants pocket. It was Pam, of course. I wedged the phone between my shoulder and ear and began to get dressed.

"What?" I greeted.

"Bill Compton is here."

"Has he left tonight?"

"Yes, but he's back here now."

"Keep him there."

"Any suggestions on how?" She purred into the phone.

"By any means necessary, of course." I pulled the phone away from my ear as she screamed in glee.

"Where _are_ you anyway?" She demanded.

"I'll be there momentarily."

"Are you with the _girl_? Still?"

I didn't respond; I simply hung up and slid the phone into my pocket. Sookie's eyes had stayed on me as I moved around the room. I looked down at her and trailed my fingers down her cheek. This one was trouble and I was looking forward to it. I was excited again. I had reason to feel again.

Her eyes were wide as she watched me return to the bed, now fully clothed and prepared to leave to go meet Bill Compton. "I will never hurt you." I said firmly. When her eyes were locked with mine and I was sure she understood, I said, "Ever. As long as my power is my own, that is my vow." I knew she didn't understand what that meant and I would have to explain it to her, along with a vast many things. "Fangtasia, at dusk." I instructed again. "My dayperson will contact you with the directions."

"All right." She nodded. "What do I wear?"

God, she was sweet. "Whatever you want?"

"I am positive I don't have anything appropriate for a vampire bar."

"Doesn't matter." I shrugged. And it really didn't. I didn't want her to be fake in any way. She was who she was and I didn't want her to compromise anything because of any expectations she thought I had for her.

I was reluctant to leave her. Soon the time would come when I wouldn't have to, but I gave her my protection and promised her I would talk to Bill Compton tonight. She gave me her trust, among a great many other things.

I pulled her face to me and crushed her lips to mine, sinking my hands into her hair, which was delightfully disheveled already. Her hands slid up to my chest and when she started to climb onto me, I stepped reluctantly back. She could really make a vampire forget his responsibilities.

I gave her one last kiss and then dove out her window. I did open and close it again, but to her it probably looked like I just slipped through it.

The flight back to Fangtasia didn't take long. It gave me the chance to clear my head. Or it should have anyway, but when I touched down outside Fangtasia, I was still all twisted up inside. I landed at the front door instead of the employee entrance. I was the only vampire in the area that could fly, one of the very few in Louisiana, so the tourists loved it. I straightened my shirt for the pictures and strolled by the vampire working the door.

"Master," he welcomed with an incline of his head. Pam was on me as soon as I walked into the bar.

"Eric, what the _hell _happened to you tonight?"

"I'm not entirely sure." I admitted. She followed me behind the bar, where Long Shadow gave me a bottle of blood, and then right out the other side.

"How are things here tonight?" I looked around the room for anyone out of place or suspicious. It was the same faces, some new humans though and a pair of Weres, but they didn't concern me. We knew them.

"You said you found the girl." Pam crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow at me. I gestured her to follow me in the office. She closed the door behind us, put her hand on his hips and glared.

"Something happened to me tonight, Pam."

"No fucking kidding!" she snapped. "You were all over the map. Eric, I swear to God, if I didn't know better I would have thought -" She cut herself off and cocked her head to one side. "Wow."

"I don't understand it myself."

"Tell me about her?" She asked sitting down on the couch.

"Well, she's very beautiful."

"Would I like her?"

"Yes, but she's mine."

"Of course." Pam pouted, but gestured for me to continue.

"She's a telepath and I'm almost positive part-fairy."

Pam gaped at me, but recovered after a few moments. "That must be why the queen wants her."

"I don't think the queen knows she's part fae. _Sookie _doesn't know she's part-fae. But her father carried the Brigant name and she certainly _tastes_ like there is a trace of fae."

"You've had her already? Thank God, I was worried. But here you are, operating at your normal speed."

"Do not write her off like that." I snapped. The strength of my order shocked her and she immediately nodded. "Is our guest still here?"

"He's downstairs. Not enjoying my hospitality."

"What a shock. Let's go see what he has to say." We rose and crossed the office. I stopped her at the door.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, but it wasn't necessary. "She…matters. I still don't know what happened tonight and its confusing…and irritating."

A bloody tear escaped Pam's eye and she quickly brushed it away. Pam didn't like me to see her any way other than a cold-hearted bitch, but I still knew better. "Oh no, master. It's very obvious what happened tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

**4.**

**A/N: Okay, typically I don't spoil (unless specifically asked to), but y'all seem incredibly concerned about this and I don't want readers to needlessly jump the ship, so listen up. There will be ****NO**** Godric/Eric/Sookie stuff. I put this in the True Blood universe because Appius is an asshole who if given a longer chance would probably have tried to make Eric hurt Sookie and I just don't think Godric would do that. So, he is in the story. He will meet Sookie. They're NOT going to go all Barry White. Also, Alan Ball has made Sookie a lot more magical in the series than she was in the books. So, I'm going to play with that a bit. Don't be afraid to let me know if I stray off the reservation with it.**

**~Eric~**

"For God's sake, stop crying." I muttered as we walked through the bar towards the door to the basement.

"I am. I'm done. I swear." Pam rushed behind me. But I could feel her…joy. As if I wasn't confused enough, Pam getting all girlie on me was definitely not helping. Where is the heartless shrew I loved so much?

"You know how I hate it when you're sentimental." I reinforced.

"I'm done; I promise. Look." To prove her point, she hissed and showed her fangs at a fangbanger at the bar. They practically fell off their chair with fright. There's my girl. I motioned to the large Were guarding the door to step aside, unlocked it, and Pam and I headed downstairs.

Bill Compton was chained to the wall. He didn't really look any worse for the wear, but he did look pissed off. I imagined I'd be quaking in my boots…never.

"This is totally unnecessary." He said to me before I reached the bottom of the flight.

"Possibly." I shrugged, stepping into the dank basement. "But ever since I denied Pam that puppy, she just keeps dragging all sorts of undesirable creatures home."

"No, really, Master. Let me keep him. I swear I'll feed him and walk him every day." Pam deadpanned next to me. Our guest was unamused. I guess I wasn't a very good host.

"You've no right to hold me." Bill said evenly. "I've done nothing wrong."

"Maybe not yet, but you intend to." I wandered over to him and stood just a few feet in front of him. Sophie Anne sent this pup? Was she not serious about this? Maybe she's just bored. That could very well be. Sometimes the monotony of eternal life starts getting to us and we looked for new entertainment. Sophie Anne was moody and liked to play games.

"You're holding me in chains based on what you _think_ my intentions are?"

"I know you have orders from the queen to kidnap a human from my area. Both you and the queen know that is illegal."

"How did you know that?"

"Silly Billy." I cooed lightly pinching one of his cheeks. "Did you think I was turned yesterday?"

"No harm was going to come to her."

"She was going to be held against her will." I countered. "Why does the queen want her? What are her plans for Ms. Stackhouse?"

"I don't know. My orders were only to procure her and bring her to the queen."

"By what means?" I asked.

"She didn't want her harmed." Bill said.

"So you were to seduce her?" I concluded and by Bill's glare and lack of verbal response, I knew I was right. I was angry on Sookie's behalf. She was sweet and naïve and she would have fallen for that.

I could see how it all would have played out. She would have found him charming. He would have been the quintessential Southern gentleman. She would have defended him to her friends. She would have fallen in love with him. When he gained her trust and adoration, he'd turn against her and bring her to the queen. She would have been devastated. He would have broken her heart and something in her eyes would never have been the same again.

I walked slowly to another wall and pulled a large sword off of it. I made sure I dragged it along its holder slowly, so the sound of metal sliding against metal rang long and loud throughout the basement, then turned and focused everything I had right on Bill Compton.

Pam was in front of me immediately. "Eric, listen."

"No. I don't think I will." I growled.

"Eric, listen to me! This is an extreme overreaction to a _misunderstanding._"

Bill's eyes widened when he realized I was about to sever his head from his body. Problem solved, as far as I was concerned.

"The queen would be very upset if you killed her procurer when she obviously has no idea Sookie belongs to you." Pam rushed.

Bill perked up. "What is this?"

"Sookie is Eric's human." Pam turned to Bill. "Obviously, the queen did not know that."

"No." Bill agreed emphatically. "No, she must not have. I am not prepared to make any sort of monetary compensation offer for the girl."

"And I am not now, nor will I ever be, prepared to accept such an offer." I wanted that out there now. If the queen's next thought was that she could buy Sookie from me, she would be mistaken.

"And speaking of money, if you kill Mr. Compton now, you will have to pay a large fine to Lorena." Pam pointed out.

"I don't like her." That was an excellent point. I was starting to see a little bit more clearly now.

"So imagine how unpleasant writing her a substantial check would be." Pam glared at me. This was all a lot for her to take in. When I left the bar earlier this evening, I was merely going on a reconnaissance mission. I returned with stars in my eyes and crazed with possessiveness. I couldn't blame her for putting the brakes on my current Bill Compton annihilation plan. In all the years we've been together, she has never seen me react this way to anyone and she certainly has not felt anything like this from me. All in all, she was handling it pretty well.

"Lorena is very greedy." Compton supplied. "And she is vengeful. She would not rest until my final death was avenged."

"I am not afraid of Lorena Krasiki." I snapped. "She does not match my skill, wit or strength."

"She loves me. She will not give up until you felt the pain she did."

He was hiding behind his maker. I would never hide behind Godric. If I was that type, I would have invoked his name by now. I preferred to fight my own battles. Plus, I had to be a good example to Pam. Granted, if someone killed her, I would leave a very wide wake of destruction, but still I was not afraid of Lorena.

"Pam is equally capable of taking Lorena." After all, I taught Pam everything I knew.

"Ms. Stackhouse wouldn't stand a chance though."

Outwardly, I showed no emotion. But inwardly I seethed. It took a great amount of gall to stand there, _chained_ no less, and threaten her like that.

"Again," I said low and evenly. "I was not turned yesterday. Though I am gaining a great amount of satisfaction from toying with the queen's little playmate, do not make the mistake of underestimating me. You are chained to a wall, Mr. Compton, and I am holding a sword. There is no penalty for killing vampires that are not reported dead."

"You can't kill him _tonight_, Eric. He was seen upstairs. This would be the last place he was seen alive." Pam reasoned again. I was caring less and less.

"He is not leaving today." I ordered. "Sookie is coming at dusk and I want her to meet him." I looked from Pam to Bill and lowered the sword. "I want her to see you, Mr. Compton. I want her to meet you and know exactly who you are and what you want."

"We can give Mr. Compton…special accommodations." Pam grinned like she was about to offer him the Presidential Suite at the Waldorf Astoria.

"I don't care if he stays chained there all day." I hissed. "He is not to leave this building." I turned and hurled the sword across the room. It crashed against the wall with a deafening clang and fell to the floor. I turned on my heel and stormed out through the opposite door of the basement.

Behind that unassuming steel door was a small alcove leading to a door that resembled a bank vault. Behind that lay private rooms for Pam and myself. We both had homes of our own, but often we were here too close to dawn and sleeping in travel coffins sucked. They were light tight and fire resistant. I slapped my hand on the identity sensor that only read Pam's and my palms. There was a beep of acknowledgment and the door slowly swung open.

Absolutely no one other than she and I have ever crossed this threshold. Not even Long Shadow who owned a small vested interest in the bar (and quite frankly, I was not a hundred percent sure yet he wasn't embezzling. But that was not today's problem. Though it occurred to me now what Sookie's first official job was going to be.) Pam fell in lust frequently. She took lovers often. However if she ever were serious about one, or ended up creating a vampire, I would understand if she brought them back here.

There were only two reasons for that. One, I was suddenly envisioning Sookie back here with me; and two, there was additional security on our individual rooms. She could, of course, get into mine in an emergency, but she would never reveal to a third party how it was done.

Once I was _finally _in my own space and truly alone, I cut loose. I roared in rage, I threw things and I screamed some more. I was positive this day was going to rank among one of the most memorable in my history.

I fell on my back onto the bed and blinked at the ceiling. Then I checked my watch. I had known her less than 12 hours. Imagine what I would be like in a week, a month, a year. How could I be so completely consumed by one person in such a small amount of time? Was it a hex? Maybe I did need Godric; he'd get this in check.

But I didn't want him to. I wanted to keep her. I wanted to keep her for the incredible way I felt earlier. I wanted to know if when I saw her again at dusk, if I would feel like I was punched in the chest again. The air was sucked out of the room when she came blazing into my vision for the first time today. Would I always feel so arrested?

The hour of the morning was creeping up on me. I could fight it, but it would be messy. Vampires were not meant to walk around during the day, though if the rumors were true…

I stared at the ceiling a little longer. Then I did something I never had before, I closed my eyes and intentionally checked in with the feelings of someone I was bonded to. Specifically, of course, Sookie's. She was sleeping still and it was unsurprisingly soothing.

When I awoke later, I bounded out of bed and into the shower. I pulled on jeans and a v-neck sweater and ran out the door. Pam's door was still locked. I wasn't surprised. Given my age, I was able to rise a little earlier than her. I needed less blood and less rest. When I got to the vault door, I started hopping up and down. Really, why was this thing so slow? What the hell was it waiting for? I practically pulled the door to the basement off its hinges.

Bill was no longer chained to the wall. Though I did see the special accommodations were out. It was a coffin wrapped in silver chains. I left that to Pam. I considered it a training exercise.

I bolted into the bar and scared the ever loving hell out of Ginger.

"HOLY FUCKING CHRIST!" she shrieked.

"Is anyone here?" I asked.

"Me."

"Anyone else?"

"No, not for hours." She struggled to get her breathing under control.

I looked around and frowned. "Shouldn't there be more people here now?" There were usually more humans here when I got here.

"It's 4:30. What are you _doing _here?" she asked frankly.

4:30? That didn't sound right. I didn't sleep through the whole night, did I? That would be extremely odd. But no, it wasn't Monday, so the bar would still be opened at 4:30 in the morning. In fact, it would be bustling with activity as last drinks were served.

"4:30 in the afternoon?" I asked as Bobby Burnham, my dayperson, entered the bar. He stopped in mid stride and stared at me.

"Yes." She nodded. "I didn't know you could get up this early."

"Neither did I." I said in amazement. I ran a hand down my face and tried to figure out what the hell was going on. Maybe it was a dream. Sometimes as dusk approached and I started to wake, I dreamed. But this seemed awfully vivid for a dream.

"Master, I -" Bobby stammered. "I wasn't expecting you. I was going to leave my daily report on your desk."

"Is it daylight savings?" I asked them.

"No, sir." Ginger confirmed, though with her glamour-fried brain, I hardly considered her a font of useful information, so I turned to Bobby. He was paid to be on top of these things.

"No, sir," he confirmed.

So I was awake at 4:30 in the afternoon. This was truly staggering. As if the past 24 hours weren't monumental enough, the sun was out outside. I turned to look at my reflection in the mirror behind the bar. I looked normal. There were no bleeds.

"What's the weather like, Bobby?" I asked.

"It's a beautiful, cloudless day, sir." He said cautiously and his voice held warning.

The weight of what was happening to me was heavy. I had Sookie's blood last night and I woke up two hours earlier than I normally did on a sunny day. She was part-fairy. She had to be.

"Bobby, wait in my office." I ordered, looking over at Ginger. He scurried away quickly. Ginger looked at me wide-eyed. As soon as she met my eyes, I glamoured her. "Ginger, you did not see me before 7 p.m. You spoke with Bobby about the day's activities and then went to pick up Pam's dry cleaning. Go do that now."

She nodded and walked away. We were probably going to have to find someone to replace Ginger. She's just been glamoured way too many times at this point.

I went back to the office and Bobby looked part-nervous and part-smug. I did not glamour Bobby. I didn't need to. I would if I had to, but Bobby was very good at his job, if not a total asshole.

"You did not see me before 7 p.m." I instructed.

"Absolutely, sir." He nodded quickly, practically dripping professionalism. "If you don't mind my asking, sir, how are you feeling?"

"Exhilarated." I began to pace the room. This was a big development and I had no idea how to handle it. I didn't know how long I would last outside and I didn't want to test it outside the bar in the middle of the city. For now, I would keep this to myself. Sookie would be as good as dead if word got around. "Did you go to Sookie's house?"

"Yes, sir." Bobby seemed unimpressed. He was a snob and with not a lot of reason to be. He was valuable, but not irreplaceable, as he deemed himself to be.

"Were you polite?"

"Yes, sir."

"What did you think?" I asked curiously.

"She is…pretty." He replied. Bobby liked both men and women. Neither Pam nor I ever gave him the time of day, Pam especially.

"She is very important, Bobby; she is also very _talented_. Remember that." His eyes widened a bit as he tried to discern what kind of talent I might be referring to, but I was not inclined to share. Eventually, Sookie's telepathy would get around, especially if I started using it. But for now, I would keep it very close to the vest.

**~Sookie~**

I jerked awake with a gasp. I struggled to remember my dream. In it, Eric was in a basement with a sword. There were two other vampires there with him. Of course I didn't know them, but I almost felt as if I knew the female.

The whole night seemed like a dream to me. It was so surreal. But my body ached and throbbed and so I knew it happened. I smiled when I thought of it all. I didn't know I could feel that way. How quickly and easily my world changed last night.

I hopped out of bed and would have skipped into the bathroom if I wasn't so darn sore. I think a bath was a good way to start the day. I ran the water and added bubbles. I debated on whether or not I should add the scented bubbles, but then decided to go for it because I was feeling incredibly feminine today.

After a good long soak in the tub, I put on my favorite sunbathing outfit and headed outside. The warmth of the sun was so relaxing, I nearly started to purr. That was until _he_ showed up.

_Nice tits. Obviously doesn't come from money. Got a nice tan though._

I slid my sunglasses down my nose and peered over the rims of them at the sharply dressed man who was now blocking my son.

"Ms. Stackhouse?" He asked politely.

"Yes."

"I'm Bobby Burnham, Mr. Northman's dayman." He didn't hold his hand out to shake. He did, however, look at my eyes now. I continued to glare at him. He got off on the wrong foot and he didn't even know it.

_Why is she looking at me like that? _He was thinking that Eric's specific instructions were to be polite to me. And that's exactly what I was getting. That's _all_ I was going to get though. Bobby thought Eric was too good to dally with humans, even though he was one himself.

"I won't take up too much of your time." He continued.

"I appreciate it." I replied. I stood up when I saw he was also carrying a bag of some kind. "What can I do for you, Mr. Burnham."

"I am to give you this." He announced thrusting the bag at me.

"What is it?" I asked peering in.

"A cell phone, miss." _Look at the Verizon bag, what do you _think_ it is? Not that I expect you'll be able to figure it out, Blondie. _"It also contains detailed directions to Fangtasia and instructions on getting in once you get there."

"I don't walk through a door?" I asked, my voice taking on a chilly tone. The dislike just became mutual. I was tempted to tell him I was telepathic, just to watch him pee his pants, but then decided to hold off and wait so I could dump it all out in one mighty 'these-are-all-the-insulting-things-Bobby-thinks-about-me' moment when Eric was around.

"There is a bouncer at the bar and they might not let you in otherwise." He said stiffly. _Though bouncing up to the door in that get-up will get you right past most of them._

"Well, thanks." I replied just as tightly. What an asshole. Did Eric get him on sale?

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Stackhouse." Yup, he was all politeness.

"Sure." I replied. I wouldn't return the sentiment.

And then he left.

A cell phone? How did he know I didn't have one? What did he expect me to do with it? I was determined to figure it out, since Bobby the Butthead didn't think I could. How hard could it be?

I marched back in the house and ended up spending the rest of the afternoon reading the instruction manual. By the time I left for the bar, I could dial it. I thought I knew how to text, but since no one had my number yet, I couldn't really test it out. I did see that Eric's cell phone number, Fangtasia, and apparently Pam's cell phone number, were already programmed in, along with, much to my distaste, Bobby's.

It took me a while to figure out what to wear. I was sure nothing I had was appropriate. But then again, I wasn't going there to hang out or court the attention of any vampires, so I supposed it didn't matter. I settled on a soft butter colored sun dress with thin straps that made my tan pop. I left my hair down and hopped into my crappy car for the drive to Shreveport.

The bar was actually pretty easy to find. No one was outside yet at the front door, but I went around back like the instructions said. A thin as a rail, bleached blonde girl was standing outside smoking a cigarette. When I got out of my car, I reached out to her with my mind and was surprised to find what I could only identify as holes in her mind. Interesting.

She looked at me and blinked once. _That's probably her._

"Are you Sookie Stackhouse?" she asked.

"I am."

"I'm Ginger. I'm to take you inside to the Master."

The Master? He better not think I'd ever call him that, I don't care what he can do with his tongue.

The inside of the bar was exactly what I would think a vampire bar looked like if it were a ride at Disney. There was even a gift shop. I couldn't get a real good look at it since a lot of the lights were still off. I understood its doors didn't open for the evening until a little later. It also didn't close until right before dawn. I don't think I'd like to work that kind of shift.

There were a few vampires and humans inside, all dressed in stereotypical black. Yeah, I stood out like a sore thumb. But if coming to see Eric here meant dressing like that, well, they were going to be disappointed. That just wasn't me.

Eric zipped in from a doorway in the corner. He looked just as tasty as he did last night. My breath caught in my chest and before I could attempt to get it back, his lips were locked on mine. At first, I was self-conscious. There were about six people in there with us and this was a pretty shocking display of affection, but as my knees started to give out, I stopped caring.

His arm came around my waist and when he pulled away, I had to grab onto his shirt to stay standing. Wowza.

"I think that covers exactly who Sookie is." He said to the room at large, but still looking right at me.

"Hiya." I said on a whisper.

He got a curious expression on his face when he said, "You smell like sunshine."

"I was out in the sun." I said like an idiot. "I didn't know you could smell that kind of thing."

"Believe me, I can." He turned and took my hand, walking me back through the bar to the door he came through.

"Is Bill Compton here?"

"Oh yes." He replied.

"Am I going to meet him now?"

"No. First you'll meet Pam." He replied. "She's very anxious to meet you."

When we entered a back office, a very beautiful, blonde vampire dressed in black leather stood there with her arms crossed and her eyebrow raised. _That_ was Pam? She didn't look anxious to meet me.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

**A/N:** **My power is out. I feel like Abraham Lincoln, writing by the light of a candle…on a laptop battery….**

**~Eric~**

Odd. Sookie seemed to recognize Pam, though they'd never met. Maybe she'd seen Pam somewhere on her night off.

"Oh my." Pam said, licking her lips. She gave Sookie a long appreciative look that started at the top of her head and went all the way down to her cute sandal-clad feet. Sookie's eyes widened as she came to the conclusion that Pam preferred women and that sank in. "It's been so long since you've given me a gift, Eric, I promise I'll take good care of this one."

"Sookie is mine, Pam." I reminded her, crossing behind the desk. Not that Pam needed a reminder, but I thought Sookie might like to hear it.

"We could share. It's been a while since we've done that."

Now Sookie just looked mortified.

"Leave us." I glared at Pam. "Give me a little time alone with Sookie and then bring Mr. Compton in."

"It's good to be the king." Pam pouted and walked toward the door, then muttered, "Or his son."

I gave her an unamused look as she closed the door. Sookie was looking at me like a deer caught in headlights. My poor beautiful frightened doe.

"Pam prefers women." I said needlessly.

"I got that. Is that something you two do often?"

"What's that, my beauty?"

"_Share._" Her fur was up. I figured Pam would be obnoxious, but they had to meet sooner or later.

"Not in quite a few decades." I assured her.

"I wouldn't be into that." She immediately said. "I don't know what it's like in the vampire world, but I believe in one guy-one girl. If I'm being too presumptuous based on last night then tell me now. I'm not going to have sex with you if you're having sex with other people."

I really couldn't get over how sweet she was…or my obvious attraction to that. I walked out from behind the desk and sat on the leather couch in the office, then patted the spot next to me. She stood rooted where she was and tilted her chin up defiantly. I almost laughed. _Nobody_ blatantly ignored my command. "Scared?" I asked.

"No. I'm not a dog; I don't come when you call." She said forcefully. Oooh, the retorts I could make to that one.

"Lover, I only ask you to sit by me so I can talk to you. We have a lot to talk about and I don't want you to be uncomfortable throughout it."

She looked at me a little sheepishly and then finally moved to my side. "I meant what I said, but I didn't mean to be so demanding about it. I was real nervous about coming here tonight."

"I know; I can feel it."

"_Really_?" she looked surprised that it actually worked. She wouldn't recognize my feelings inside her yet. It took a lot more for a human to feel a vampire, or so I had been told.

"Yes," I smiled then leaned over and pressed an affectionate kiss to her temple. "Sookie, nearly everything about my world is going to be shocking for you. I wish I could ease you into it or spare you from it, but I can't. Vampires are very sexual creatures by nature. Sex and feeding go virtually hand-in-hand. We will take many lovers and are not typically too choosy. I am older than most and things are a little different for me. I do not take lovers like Pam does. As a matter of fact, I do not take lovers at all. I find people who suit my needs for a few hours and that's it. But you…you feel different to me. I find myself doing things and reacting to things in ways I wouldn't normally. But if you are asking me to be exclusive to you, then I will be."

"Really? You would do that for me?" She smiled and I was reminded of just _why_ I would do that for her.

"Vampires also like to try new things." I quipped and she rolled her eyes. I pulled her across my lap and ran my hands up her arms, and then pulled her head down to mine and kissed her. She placed her palms on my chest to brace herself and kissed me back. My hands tangled into her hair and her hips began to rock back and forth. I broke off from her lips and kissed her neck.

"The marks from last night are gone." She panted.

"Yes, I healed them." I replied. "Or did you want to keep them like a badge of honor?"

"No. I never liked hickies left on me either. It's trashy." I chuckled at her response. She _was_ a lady; that was new for me.

I trailed my finger along her collarbone and followed it with my eyes. "I couldn't stand to mar this perfect flesh. How did you feel today?"

"Very sore, but it seems to be gone now."

"Sookie, I can heal you from anything." I told her. It was time to start telling her the things I had to tell her. "One of the reasons draining vampires is so lucrative is because our blood can heal anything that can happen to humans and in a very short time. As such, buying and using vampire blood, as well as draining, are very serious and unforgiveable offenses in my world. When you read humans for me, we will come across that and the penalty will be severe."

"How severe?"

"Depends." I shrugged. "Torture, death." She slouched back a little bit away from me, but didn't get up and still touched me, so that was a good sign I supposed. "The same penalty holds true for someone hurting you. You are mine; you are under my protection."

"For how long?"

Till death do us part, as far as I was concerned.

"For however long you need to be."

I watched as she tried to absorb what I said. Still, she made no move to get up. "Things are happening very quickly." She said on a breath. "Twenty-four hours ago, this was all just stories on Oprah, and now, everything's so overwhelming. My life is no longer in my control. I don't know what to think, I don't know who to trust, I don't know what I feel. It's all like a merry-go-round stuck on warp speed."

I knew how she felt. I mean, I actually _knew_ how she felt. I liked it. And what was more surprising was I could relate.

"I know."

"_How?_" she asked, she sounded exasperated. "This is not an unfamiliar world to you."

"No, I have the benefit of knowledge of both our worlds. But, Sookie, I don't react like this. My maker has spent centuries drilling in the lesson that vampires are dominant over their feelings and not subservient to them. Ironically enough, my child has learned that lesson faster than me. This is the first time I've ever experienced something like this. I may not be able to dominate my feelings this time, Sookie, but I'm sure as hell not going to be afraid of them."

She looked down between us at her hands. She needed something from me and I wasn't really sure what it was. I didn't know how to relate to someone on a relationship level. Was that what she wanted; some sort of comfort?

"I wish my Gran was here; she'd be able to tell me what I need to do."

"What you need is more time and I do not have it to give to you." Well, I _could _give her eternity if you wanted to be technical about it, but I doubt that would really solve her current problem. "I can only tell you to trust your gut." I stroked her hair and she met my eyes again. "You have to pay closer attention to what's going on around you. Under no circumstances should you take blood from another vampire."

"Will that do something to me because of your blood?"

"No, but I told you since you had my blood, I could track you. How many vampires do you want knowing where you are, what you feel?"

"Good point."

"It's not just for your safety that I say this. In the future, it will also be for mine." I rested my hands on her hips and then pressed a kiss to her cleavage. God damn, these were perfect breasts. "We'll be spending a lot of time together, if I have anything to say about it. That vampire, in theory, could not only find you, but find me. I have a lot of enemies, Sookie."

She cupped my cheek in her hand and then surprised me by saying, "Tell me about your maker."

"Godric?" I asked, tensing beneath her. It was a natural protective instinct in a vampire to instantly be ready to defend and protect their maker.

"I want to know you." She shrugged. "I want to know about your family. Will I ever meet him?"

"Yes, and probably sooner than I'd like."

"Why does it sound like you're not looking forward to that?" She asked, her eyes wide and not understanding. Meeting Godric was not the same as meeting her parents or grandmother would have been. There was no way to fully convey that to her.

"Godric is roughly 3,000 years old. He has a very gentle soul and mild demeanor. People are frequently misled by that. He is a big advocate for the mainstreaming movement. He thinks that organizations like the Fellowship of the Sun evolved because vampires never did. He is fascinated by humans and how far your society has come. He is both feared and highly respected among our kind. He is frequently sought out for help by others."

"Where does he live?"

"Texas."

"Why would you want to postpone him meeting me? He doesn't sound so bad."

"Because you do not understand the bond between maker and child. If he walked into this room right now and ordered me to kill you, Sookie, I would. No matter how much I wouldn't want to, it is absolutely impossible for my body not to follow his orders. A vampire cannot defy their maker. That is why I said last night as long as I was under my own control I would never hurt you."

"Would he do something like that?" she whispered horrified.

"I cannot imagine why he would want to make me suffer that way," I answered honestly. "And I would, Sookie. If I was put in that position, I would suffer a great deal. But the point is, is that he _could_. He could order me to move to Texas and I would have to. I am his only child. For the last few centuries he has let me go my own way and interfered very little. But he will have felt the change in me last night, Pam did, and he will be concerned."

"As any good parent should be." She grinned. I would never be able to fully convey to her the strength of my bond with Godric or Pam for that matter, unless, of course, she was turned.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what was really stopping me in that regard. Sookie reminded me a lot of Pam. With Pam, I just did it. I saw her, she was alone and next thing I knew, I had drained her. The only thing I could think of was that I wanted something _more_ from Sookie. A vampire child went their own way. Pam had stayed with me for a few decades and then went off on her own. I was fine with that because I recalled her intermittently for various reasons, as Godric did with me, and then released her again. I released her after our business ventures were up and running, but she chose to stay.

I didn't want that with Sookie. I wanted to know that if she was with me it was because she wanted to be and not because she was ordered to be. She was right, of course, everything was moving very quickly between us - not the sex part, at least as far as I was concerned, that's the way things were for me – but I formed an emotional bond with her extremely fast, probably from that very first second I saw her and that I had never done before, not with anyone other than Godric and Pam.

"Sookie, Pam is going to be bringing in Bill Compton very soon." I said changing the subject. "I can't hold him anymore."

"Hold him?"

"Yes, I kept him here during the day. Did you know your cousin lived with the queen?"

"My cousin?" she asked. "My cousin Hadley?"

"Yes."

"My family hasn't heard from Hadley for a few years now. She got into drugs and dropped off the face of the Earth. I assumed she overdosed and died or something."

"No, she is alive and well." I explained. "She is a favorite of Sophie Anne's."

"Favorite _what_?"

"Lover, my sweet."

"Hadley and Queen Sophie Anne?" She looked stunned. There were lots of secrets in the Hale-Stackhouse family it seemed. I was wondering if Hadley knew anything about the fae. "Is she a vampire?"

"No, she's human. She told Pam about the queen's plans for you. I don't know if she was showing off in front of Pam or trying to help you. Does your cousin know about your telepathy?"

"It was always a taboo subject in my family, except with Gran. Jason has only recently really accepted it. No one ever really wanted to talk about why I was so different or what I could do. I never really talked about it with Hadley, but I would think she knows."

"Is she also gifted?"

"Not that I know of, or could ever tell; it was really just me."

"Has she ever said anything about your family being different?" I asked. I think Hadley is a bigger player here than I originally gave thought to. How much did Hadley know and how much did she tell Sophie Anne? I knew Hadley; not well, but I have encountered her at the palace. She was always quiet and seemed desperate for the queen's attention. I didn't know if she was the type of person to throw her cousin under the bus for that attention or not. Knowing Sophie Anne and how she spoiled her pets, that's probably what happened.

"What do you mean?"

"I was wondering if there were any other telepaths in your family or if there were stories of someone else in your family being different."

"My gran said that my grandfather was telepathic too." Interesting. I wonder if he was the fairy. I don't recall telepathy being one of the many magical fairy traits, but the fairies were also extremely secretive.

"Could he do anything else?"

"I don't know; I don't remember him. I've seen pictures of him. At least, I think it was him. Gran always took the pictures away when she caught us looking. She said it was too painful to remember him. He was very handsome. Jason resembles him a lot. Why?"

"I think there's magic in your background." I confessed. "I don't know for sure, but I'm almost sure of it. Brigant is a magical name."

"Like a witch?"

"No, it's fae."

"What's fae?"

"It's a supernatural faction that contains a few species: elves, angels, demons, fairies, water sprites."

"I'm a fucking _sprite_?" I almost burst out laughing. She sounded so offended. I would be too. Sprites weren't all that impressive; they were pretty annoying…and funny looking, which she very much was not.

"Fairy, if I'm right."

"_Fairy_?" Honestly, if I were her, I don't know that I'd believe me either. "As in Tinkerbell?"

"I'm not quite sure what a 'tinkerbell' is."

She popped off my lap and looked down at me in astonishment. "Well shit, Eric, what are you so worried about? All you have to do to save my life is clap!"

"I'm not sure I understand." I frowned. I don't recall that fact about fairies. Did she know more than she let on?

"How _fucking lame_!"

"Fairies are not how they are portrayed in bedtime stories, Sookie. The Prince of the Fairies – Niall Brigant, who I think you are descended from – is very vicious. He is over 1,000 years old. Fairies are likely the most dangerous of supernatural creatures, but they also have a great capacity to love. There are very few fairies left in the world. In fact, most vampires think they are entirely extinct. A full-blooded fairy is irresistible to vampires. We are intoxicated by their blood."

There was silence in the room as she stared over my head, seemingly lost in thought. Quite frankly, I was surprised she's even still conscious. I had given her a lot of stunning information in a very short amount of time. But I couldn't be sure what Bill Compton was going to say, if anything at all, and I didn't want her to think she couldn't trust me. Like I said, I didn't have a hell of a lot of time here. That, and it would be good to not let on to Bill that Sookie had been my human for less than 24 hours.

"Well, that explains that then." She said quietly, lowering herself down into a chair. "I was wondering why someone like you would be so attracted to someone like me and that answers that."

That was why I had that doomed feeling when I put two and two together about her heritage.

"You couldn't help it, could you?" She looked like she was bracing herself for me to confess that it's purely biological. But it's just not true.

"The scent of fairy is not that potent in you. If it was, you would have been slaughtered by the other vampires as soon as you stepped into this bar tonight. I would not have been able to resist draining you last night. You're delicious, yes, but that is not your only attraction."

"What is then?"

"Many things; some I have yet to define." I shrugged. "You challenge me. You intrigue me. I want to know you, Sookie. Not just your body, but your mind and your spirit. If I were smart, I'd turn you over to the queen like a good sheriff. The very second I laid eyes on you, I wanted to protect you. I wanted to kill that stupid redneck that offended you. This was before I tasted you, before I had even looked you in the eye. I don't know for sure that you're part-fairy, I _suspect_ you are. I'm telling you now because I don't want Bill to catch onto the fact that we've only known each other for a very short period of time. Whatever happens, you must not act surprised by anything he says. He will report this entire trip to the queen and leave no detail out."

"Even the fact that you kept him here against his will?"

"Especially that."

"Will the queen be mad at that?"

"Oh, very, but I maintain that I was within my rights. She circumvented me."

She sighed and sat back down. I moved to kneel before her. She looked down at her hands and didn't meet my eyes. She felt confused and scared. I was happy to notice that there was a small amount of trust there as well, and much to my pleasure, lust.

"Sookie, despite what may or may not happen between us, I have given you my vow to protect you. That is not something I take lightly. I have already taken several measures in that regard. The queen will back down for a little while. She wouldn't want an investigation by the Authority. Pam will be in momentarily with Mr. Compton. Here's what I know about him: he is a young vampire. He is not as strong as me and he cannot outfight me. He is crafty though. If he wasn't good as his job, the queen wouldn't keep sending him out. Bill is known for retaining more humanity than most, which adds to his value with the queen because humans tend to trust him more than others of our kind. I would be surprised if he tried to glamour you in my presence, but then again, he wouldn't be very good at his job if he didn't at least try. Pam and I will be here. He will not hurt you. Look at me, Sookie." I waited until she met my gaze. "He will not hurt you. Do you believe me?"

"Yes." She whispered.

I pressed a kissed to her forehead as Pam knocked on the door.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

**A/N: I should probably let y'all know that I know I'm in the driver's seat here, but I've got no idea where we're going. I just wanted to see what would happen if Eric got to Sookie first. When I start a story with a plan that doesn't go beyond the main concept, they tend to get enormous. **

**~Sookie~**

I was officially creeped out. As Pam re-entered the office, I immediately recognized the vampire she had with her as the second one from my dream. I couldn't recall ever having a dream that vivid before and then having people or images from it just materialize before me. Does that mean things that happened in the dream were real too? Did Eric threaten this young vampire with a sword? Eric kept asking if there was anything else I could do and I kept saying no, but now I was wondering if there was. He had said there wasn't anything 'that I was aware of' and now it could be that he was right.

Bill seemed to be the exact opposite of Eric. Whereas Eric was tall and blonde, Bill was shorter and brunette. He had a very intense gaze and it was trained right on me. He was handsome. He had an elegant way about him that only Southern gentry could pull off. He didn't appear to be restrained at all, but it seemed like Pam had him firmly in line. He'd be stupid to act out against these two.

Eric leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Do not be afraid, my beauty." He rubbed my back and I felt comforted. I really did feel safe with him. I did not believe that this vampire was here to do me physical harm, at least not now. If what I dreamt was true, Eric would chop him into little pieces for trying.

"Mr. Compton, meet Ms. Sookie Stackhouse." Eric said as if he were introducing two new business associates. "Sookie, this is Bill Compton, the vampire who will not be procuring you."

"Ms. Stackhouse." Bill nodded to me. He had a very thick Southern drawl, the kind I would have found charming. It made me sick to my stomach. If my dream was to be believed, Bill was prepared to seduce me to meet his goal. Would it have worked? Considering how naïve I was and how quickly I fell into bed with Eric, I tended to think it would have. I felt myself tensing up. I nodded in return.

"The queen is most anxious to meet you." He said. I felt pressure in my head; the same kind of pressure I felt from Eric last night when he was trying to hypnotize me. I squared my shoulders and looked Bill right in the eye.

"An invitation would have been more appropriate."

"I'm sure that can be arranged." Bill looked surprised. He looked at Eric and then back at me. I felt the pressure again.

"Surely, Mr. Compton, you are not trying to glamour my human." Eric said with an eyeroll. I wondered if one vampire could tell when another was using that glamour.

"As you can see, no." Bill said with a gesture to me. For a fleeting second, I thought Eric was going to tell Bill I couldn't be glamoured, but he didn't. "The queen is not accustomed to being denied." Bill continued. "She will only order you to bring her to New Orleans, Eric. You do _not_ want her coming here."

"Introducing Sookie to the queen of her own freewill is one thing," Eric replied. What was he saying? I know he told me not to react or act surprised, but I was. I thought I could trust him. He was going to _bring _me to the queen? Was I really that stupid? "Stealing her in the middle of the night is a different matter altogether."

"I had no intention of spiriting her away."

"No. Your plan was to lie to her, gain her trust and then betray her." Eric countered.

"The last thing anybody needs, sheriff, is to make Sophie Anne mad." Bill warned, but Eric didn't look too concerned.

"Have I defied her in any way, Mr. Compton? Sookie is mine. And if she wasn't, the queen did not inform me of her intentions to abduct a human from my area. The queen will remember that I am her most trusted sheriff and there are very good reasons for that. If she would like to meet Sookie through _legal_ channels that can be negotiated, but she will only do so with me as escort. I would expect nothing less from Sophie Anne."

Now, I fully admit that I was a bit of a babe in the woods here. I had no idea how vampire politics worked. All I knew was there were kings and queens and sheriffs and some kind of authority, whatever that was. But despite my current lack of knowledge in this subject area, I could still swear that Eric just threatened the queen. Bill seemed just as surprised by that bold move.

"I will convey your message." Bill promised.

"I would appreciate that, Mr. Compton." Eric sounded like he was closing a business deal in his favor. The whole thing could have been handled over brandy – or blood, I guess – as far as Eric was concerned. Again, even with my lack of experience, I could see that Bill was not remotely in the same league as Eric. Bill showed emotion. He looked confused, disappointed and concerned. I wondered if he ever failed at procuring something for the queen before or if that was the first time. And if it was the first time, how would Sophie Anne punish him?

Whatever she did, I hoped it was painful. I hoped it awful and then it multiplied by 10. I wasn't typically someone who was vengeful in that way, but the thought of being taken advantage of like that made me want to scream…and then cry. At least Eric was honest in his intentions. I knew where I stood with him; or I was pretty sure I knew anyway. I had to keep reminding myself that I didn't really know Eric. If my dream was right, then I knew he was capable of very dangerous things and quite frankly, I wanted him on _my_ side. He was right in the devil I knew was better than the devil I didn't.

"Pam will see you out." Eric said.

When Bill turned to leave, I stopped him. "Wait, Mr. Compton." Everyone turned to me in surprise. "Are you by chance related to the Compton family in Bon Temps?"

"Yes, that's my family. When I was alive, the Stackhouses were my neighbors. I knew them well. My last living relative died recently and the property has reverted to me."

My smiled tightened. Great. Just great. "Well, it's too bad we didn't meet under different circumstances then. I would have loved to have heard about my ancestors."

"Yes, it is." He said sounding curious. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Stackhouse."

Obviously, I wasn't returning the sentiment.

Pam led Bill Compton from the office and Eric and I stood there for a few minutes not speaking. He was studying me; no doubt searching for my reaction or waiting for me to have a breakdown or something. Instead, I sat back down quietly into the chair. He moved to stand in front of me and leaned against the desk.

"Say something." He said finally.

"Can I see the basement?" I replied.

"What basement?

"The basement here."

"How did you know the building had a basement?"

"It doesn't?" Maybe it was just a dream.

"It's not someplace you should spend a lot of time."

"What's down there?"

"Oh…stuff."

"Swords? Private rooms? Some big metal thing that turns? Chains on the wall?"

I had his full attention. He pushed himself off the desk and looked down at me. His face was tight and guarded. I imagined it would take us a little while to get over this natural suspicion we had of each other. I mean, we may have just fallen into bed with each other, but people didn't just instantly trust people, right?

"How do you know that?"

"Last night I dreamt you and Pam had Bill downstairs chained to the wall. You threatened to kill him with a sword, but Pam stopped you. Bill was sent by the queen to seduce me. You threw the sword across the room and then stormed out. Then you were in a room, angry."

He stared at me another moment before grabbing me by the upper arm and pulling me out of the chair. Once I was on my feet, he let go of my arm and took my hand, tugging me quickly through the crowded bar. The mixture of music, voices and human thoughts assaulted my mind. There was instantly too much stimulation to take in as I saw the vampires around the room, human wannabes and tourists all intertwined together.

There was an instant reaction to Eric entering. Vampires turned in his direction, but then went back to what they were doing. Humans ogled. I couldn't blame them. He was impressive. He towered over everybody and currently, he was yanking a little human blonde girl dressed in yellow, the only actual color to be seen around, through the bar to another door. Eric said something to the big bear of a man standing in front of the door and then we disappeared through it.

I knew where we were going. It all looked just like it did in the dream. A dark, poorly lit by design, cellar. It was damp and depressing; the kind of place that you were afraid to look around you for fear of what you would find lurking in the shadows.

I, however, wasn't afraid of anything in that basement because I was with Eric. Any creature of doom that was down there hiding in the corners would be under his command.

Eric led me to the middle of the basement, took me by the shoulders and then turned me in a slow circle. "Look." He commanded softly. "What's different?" My eyes scanned the room around me. I saw where Bill was chained, where Eric pulled the sword from the wall, the door that led to the private rooms.

"The coffin is gone." I whispered.

"Where did I throw the sword?"

I pointed to the western-most corner and Eric walked away in that direction. He stopped a few feet from the wall and bent down. I drew in a shaky breath as he picked up the sword and then returned it to its spot on the other side of the room.

He turned and looked at me, his eyes traveling slowly over me. In this environment, I felt like his prey. But as he slowly walked to me and I could see him better, I did not see a hunter. I saw a lover; self-sworn to protect me from things that ended up in this cellar under less than friendly circumstances.

"You can bring light to the darkest of places." He said almost to himself. I began to fidget a bit and looked around self-consciously. He walked slowly toward me and when he was right in front of me, his palms ran up my arms then cupped my face. He kissed my forehead lightly. "This space is not meant to hold one such as you."

"It gives me the creeps."

"It's supposed to." He smiled.

"I'm a little freaked out about all this."

"I think you're entitled to be." His lips trailed around my face before ending with my lips.

"Eric Northman, if you think I'm having sex with you in a dungeon, you've lost your mind." I stated firmly, though with my knees going weak, I'm not sure I could really back up that statement.

"No, never in here. Not with you." I wasn't really sure what that meant. How many people did he have sex with in here?

He looked over his shoulder to the door that led back to the private rooms and then back to me. "Would you like to see what's behind door number one?"

Oh boy, would I. Given all the security I saw in my dream, I assumed any old person was not brought back there. Eric in my dream let his guard down there and I did not feel like he did that upstairs in his office, not the bar, and definitely not in here.

"If the sun comes up, am I going to be able to get out on my own?"

"No."

Well, that was definite.

Aw screw it. Tomorrow was Monday and Merlotte's was closed.

I smiled at him and he smiled back. When he turned to lead me to the door, a thought stopped me in my tracks. "Wait, Eric!

"What? What's wrong?" He asked spinning back around.

"I can't stay locked in there with you. I need to _eat_."

He looked at me for a moment and then let out what I thought was a vampire version of a sigh, then pulled out his cell phone and spoke in another language. "All taken care of." He said, slipping his phone back into his pocket. Then he literally swept me off my feet. The nice thing about riding with a vampire? They move fast. We were through the door and standing in front of the vault lickety split.

"What are you like when you wake up?" I asked Eric from my perch where I was wrapped around his chest. My arms and legs were linked around his back.

"Didn't you see?"

"No, the dream didn't go that far. Are you crabby?"

"Not usually." He shrugged. "Are _you_?"

"I'm not typically a morning person."

"Well, that makes two us."

"Ha ha."

Once we were through the vault door, I studied the hallway. It was a pale yellow and brightly lit.

"It's awfully…perky."

"Pam's in charge of all of the visual stuff; decorating, wardrobe…"

"She picks what you wear?"

"Well, she doesn't lay it out for me every day, but yes, she buys everything. Apparently, my sense of style, or lack thereof, aesthetically offends her."

"She does a good job," I murmured running my hands down his back.

"She'll be happy to hear that. She spends _hours_ shopping."

I disentangled myself when we crossed into Eric's room. I didn't see much detail in my dream because I seemed so focus on Eric, but now I took the time to look around. I hadn't been in the habit of spending time in men's rooms, but I got the feeling that this is very much how a man with money would decorate (or a female spending his money as I assumed it was probably done by Pam).

The furniture was dark cherry wood and the walls were Kelly green. It was actually pretty large with leather sofas, a flat screen tv, and a large king sized bed that I suspected was mahogany. There was also breathtaking artwork on the walls and I wondered if any of them were painted by the Italian masters.

"Do you actually live here?" I asked, still taking in my surroundings.

"No. I have a house. But Pam and I frequently end up here." He gently moved the strap of my dress aside and kissed my shoulder. I leaned back into him and closed my eyes.

"There's been a lot to take in tonight. I can't begin to process it all."

"Shut that beautiful mind off for a little while and relax, lover. I have just the thing for that tension."

"Yeah, I'll just bet you do." I muttered. He laughed and led me through another door. I was suddenly standing in the biggest bathroom I'd ever seen.

"Why on Earth do you need a bathroom this big?" I gasped. It was bigger than my entire bedroom at home.

"I like to bathe." He shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't need to be this luxurious, with the Italian marble and all that, but Pam likes to go overboard. I suppose she did this with the idea of one of us having someone back here or maybe resale.

"No one's ever been back here?" I asked amazed.

"No, Sookie. You're the first. I told you, you are different."

Evidently.

**~Eric~**

Sookie sighed and relaxed against me in the tub. I let her contentment flow through me, rediscovering an intimacy I haven't enjoyed for centuries or more. She groaned when I started to massage the tension out of her shoulders.

"Eric, I don't want to go to New Orleans to meet the queen." She said.

I moved my fingers up her neck. "She is the queen and I am sworn to her, my beauty, so you'll have to meet her at some point, but I didn't say anything about going to New Orleans."

"A queen would come to you?"

"No. But I can arrange a meeting on neutral ground."

"You have very skilled fingers." She moaned as said fingers eased up into her hair. I loved her hair; it was soft and silky. Have I ever felt hair like this before? Have I ever felt _anything _like her before?

"I've had much practice."

When she sighed and leaned back against my chest, my hands slid to her breasts. They kneaded and stroked; my thumbs gently grazing her nipples.

"I'm afraid of the things I learned tonight." She whispered.

"I told you to turn your brain off and let your subconscious absorb it all. I will not let anything happen to you."

My tongue lapped the water up from her shoulder and her eyes closed. My left hand disappeared beneath the water and glided down her belly and between her legs. She stretched like a cat in my arms. Her voluptuous body became long and sleek against me.

My desire for her increased by the second. "Eric," she whispered as my fingers slid inside her and began to move.

"Sshh…" I replied.

Her hand came up out of the water and gripped the side of the tub. I watched her face as her body betrayed her overactive mind and she gave in to the pleasure I was giving her. It didn't seem fair that I should find her after all this time and she would be mortal; human was debatable, but definitely mortal. But then again, I couldn't think of anything I had done in my life to deserve such a creature anyway, so what did I care for fair?

She began to tremble in my arms, coming apart piece by piece and falling around me. I was as determined to bring her to ecstasy as she was to achieve it. I felt the tingling inside her as she came on a cry and so without giving her the chance to float back to the here and now, I turned her around quickly, pulled her knees to either side of my waist and impaled her. She cried out again and her head fell to my shoulder.

But then the moment I was waiting for came when her head dropped back slowly. Her eyes closed as her breath caught. When she rolled her head forward, her eyes opened and they were heavy with desire. She did this same thing last night and I was mesmerized then too. It was like this one delicious sequence of events cast some kind of spell over me. What was it about this that enthralled me so? Was it the golden hue that seemed to surround her in moments like this? I hadn't noticed it any other time, but then again, I wasn't losing control of wits at those times either. Maybe I imagined it, but there was a ripple of light that encircled her and drew me inside it.

The shocks from her fingertips came back; little pinpricks of energy that danced along my skin where her fingers touched. My hands clutched her back as she started to move. I felt my control slipping, something I hadn't permitted with a lover before. I did not give myself to others. I did not permit lovers to have control over me, but I found myself craving that with her; wanting to come apart in her arms.

But I didn't give in. Not yet.

Her breath started to come in pants then, faster and faster as her hips pistoned against me. The wave of energy began to build and I pressed my face against her chest as it slowly engulfed me. She was like nothing I had ever had before and I feared never would again when she was gone.

She screamed out my name in release and I sank my fangs into the top of her breast. I pulled on the wound and the rich flavor of her very life force filled my mouth and inflamed my senses. I was delirious in the afterglow. As I sealed the wound, I eased back against the tub.

A dreamy smile spread across Sookie's face as she curled against my chest and dozed.


	7. Chapter 7

**7.**

**A/N: I don't use a beta in this fandom. (Well, I do but he just got Dead On cuz I'm really only making him do copy editing when I'm done because he's not a fan, but he likes me). So in the meantime, the mistakes are on me. **

**BTW, am I the only one totally addicted to SilverVintage82's "I See You" video on YouTube? I watch that like four times a day. **

**Oh, one more thing. Head over to E! online and vote for our little sweeties for TV's Top Couples 2011. They're lagging a bit. Vote early, vote often!**

**~Sookie~**

Being shut in with Eric wasn't as boring as I thought it would be. First of all, I was up pretty late on Sunday and so I slept most of the day Monday anyway. If I dreamed either Sunday or Monday nights, I didn't remember.

When I woke up on Monday, after I ate, I spent what ended up being a few hours just watching Eric well, be dead. It was sort of creepy because he didn't breathe, but at the same time, he looked like he was sleeping. He also didn't lie on his back like I thought he would. Okay, so I thought he'd actually have his hands crossed on his chest; excuse me, I'd never seen a real vampire "sleep" before. In The Lost Boys, they hung upside down. Thank God he wasn't doing that either. No, he was lying on his stomach, covered from the waist down with a sheet. He looked peaceful; nothing like the fierce being I saw threaten Bill Compton with a sword in my dream.

He was absolutely oblivious to me. I wondered if he _could_ wake up if he absolutely _had_ to. I tiptoed around at first. I didn't want to disturb him. When I realized that was pretty much impossible, I didn't bother anymore. Not that I started slamming things around intentionally to see if he'd show any reaction at all – okay, so I dropped _one_ book just to see what would happen – but I was making my normal amount of noise.

It turned out the TV was not too hard to work and I got sucked into a Lifetime movie. It was nice to just lay low and do something brainless for a while. I was fascinated when Eric woke up. He just sat right up. His eyes scanned the room quickly and fell on me where I was on the couch. He smiled and I swear I got goose bumps. Jason was a bear when he woke up in the morning, man-grunting and generally being surly until he got a cup or two of coffee in him.

"Wow." I brilliantly greeted.

"Hello, lover. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am actually."

"Did you eat?" What, like he was going to make me something if I hadn't?

"Yes, thank you."

He popped out of bed and sauntered over to me. He put these Lifetime guys to shame. In fact, he put pretty much every guy I knew to shame. He leaned down and started kissing my neck. Somebody was frisky when he woke up. Typical man, if the other waitresses at the bar are to be believed.

"I didn't think you'd be awake for another few hours." I stuttered. "This is a nice surprise."

He froze for a fraction of a second and then pulled back and looked at me. "What time is it?"

"It's just 4 o'clock." I said. "You probably can't go outside yet, right?"

"No, I wouldn't think so." He said. He seemed distracted now. I watched him pull on a pair of jeans, cross to the fridge and pull out a bottle of True Blood, then warm it up in the microwave. Huh. For a second there, I thought he was going to bite me for breakfast. Guess not.

"You haven't tried it?"

"Being up this early without physical side effects is unusual for me." He said.

"What are the side effects?" I asked cautiously. I didn't want to be _unhealthy_ for him if this was because I was here.

"They're called bleeds. It is possible to go without rest, but our strength is drained and we, well, bleed."

"That sounds kind of gross."

"I can tell you I'm not at my most attractive then."

"So you're saying you _can _be woken up."

"Once I'm at rest, _I _could be woken up. Pam probably couldn't be, but I'm older. However, I would be very limited in what I could do. I wouldn't expect me to get up and fight for instance."

"So if Buffy the Vampire Slayer got in here when you were sleeping, you'd be toast."

"She'd likely win, yes. But then again, it might almost be a pleasure to die at _her _stake."

"You're such a _guy._" I scoffed.

"I'm not sure that was a compliment."

"So you're not up this early because of _me_, are you? I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything."

"I'm not uncomfortable at all." He assured me. "But, yes, I believe it is because of you."

"This is going to be another thing I don't like, isn't it?"

"There is a legend among vampires that if we drink fairy blood, we'd be able to walk out in the sun without burning. It's the ultimate vampire dream and why I do not want anyone to know you are fae."

"_Might_ be fae."

"Sookie, it's 4 o'clock in the afternoon; yesterday I woke up at 4:30. You have an energy surrounding you that I've only ever heard of being associated with fae. You saw, with perfect clarity, what I was doing in a dream. Your father carried the name Brigant, who is the Prince of the Fairies. You are telepathic, which I've never heard of with fairies, but they're secretive so I suppose it's possible. You cannot be glamoured. And you have the most delicious blood I've ever tasted. You _are_ fae."

"_Might_ be fae." I repeated.

"You explain it all then; I would love to hear your explanation," He shot back.

Of course, I couldn't come up with anything. _I_ still couldn't believe all this was real. Eric was right; my life did change in shocking ways. I was about to make a snappy comment about that, but then I remembered none of this was Eric's fault. He was just the messenger – the extremely hot messenger. Things could have been a lot worse.

But then another thought occurred to me.

"How do we prove it?"

"Prove that you are part-fairy?"

"Yes. If I'm not and I'm just freaky then no one will care, right?"

"You'd still be telepathic, so I doubt that very much. And it has been proven. You've passed the tests."

"Vampire tests." I retorted.

He paused then said, "You want to meet a fairy?"

"It seems the most logical. They would be able to identify their own kind, right?"

He was thinking about it. "Yes."

"So, can I meet one?"

"It might take a little time." He replied. "They won't be anxious to speak with a vampire. They're not the easiest to track down; still, it might be possible."

"Will it be dangerous?"

"For whom?"

"I don't want to cause a war or anything."

"I told you, Sookie, I will not let anything happen to you." He replied. "I know it's hard to grasp because not all that much has happened yet, but it will. And when it does, rest assured, my beauty, if anything _does_ happen to you, it will be because I am truly dead."

"I don't think you need to go that far; you hardly know me."

I don't think I could ever get used to how fast he moved. He was next to me and sliding up the couch towards me in the blink of an eye. "On the contrary, my darling, I think I know you pretty well so far. But I have not discovered all there is to know about you yet and I'm very much looking forward to it. So I'd like to keep you around for that.

"You couldn't possibly know how you have changed me in such a small amount of time, Sookie. You have given me something to look forward to. You have given me a purpose. You have given me reason to feel and I'm not quite ready to give all this up yet. My word is not something I take lightly. And even if it were, I am compelled right now by something much stronger."

"And what's that?" I asked. I really should have known better in hindsight, but at the time, I really didn't know what he would be compelled by other than the taste of winning.

His lips were on mine, but it wasn't desperate like it seemed before. It was gentle. Much more gentle than I thought him capable of; not that he had been rough up until this point but he was definitely…filled with passion, I'd say. But I also didn't have anything to compare it to either.

When he pulled back and looked into my eyes, there was something different in them that I hadn't seen before. Before they looked filled with lust, now they almost seemed filled with need. His hand slid up the back of my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair. He kissed me again and slowly we stretched out on the couch. His free hand leisurely slid down the side of my body and back up again, over and over, like he wanted nothing more than to learn the contours of my body.

"It doesn't always have to be hot, lover," he whispered against my neck. "It can also be beautiful."

"And has it been beautiful for you often?" My breath caught in my throat. I was stuck on why someone like him would want this little country girl with no experience. How could I possibly excite him?

"No, not quite like this."

"Why do I have a hard time believing that?"

"You will in time." He was very confident; like he was absolutely positive it couldn't be any other way but _his_ way. That was something we'd have to work out. If he was going to be _my_ man, he wasn't always going to get his way. But I was cool with it for now.

I ran my hands around his bare chest and arched an eyebrow when he chuckled. "Don't tell me you're ticklish."

"I guess you could say that." He smiled. "That energy I told you about comes out of your fingertips and dances around my skin where you touch it. Not always, just when you're excited like this. I can't wait to discover where you'll touch next. You've ruined other women for me."

"Now you're just going overboard."

My body arched up into him as his hand slipped under the t-shirt I was wearing (and since I wasn't planning on staying over and had no other clothes with me, that's _all_ I was currently wearing) and along the skin across my stomach. His fingers trailed lightly around the plain of my stomach and just brushed the underside of my breasts, just enough to make me long for him to touch them.

That rat bastard. How was I supposed to compete with that?

In retaliation, my "energetic" fingers slid down his back, right past his waist and down the back of his jeans. When I boldly grabbed his ass, his eyes widened.

"Well now, aren't you kicking things up a notch?" He recovered quickly.

His reaction made me feel a little wicked and a little bold. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he really had never encountered someone like me before and it was as new to him as it was to me.

I pulled my hands out from his pants. He looked disappointed but curious. I slid them up his chest and his lips quirked again. When I got to his shoulders, I gave him a little nudge. Picking up on what I wanted, he rolled to his back and watched me intently. I worked his pants off, a new experience for me, which would have gone much quicker had I just made him do it. I propped up on my elbow and hooked my leg over his.

He raised his hand to touch my hair and I smacked it away. "I'm in the driver's seat now."

"That's not usually my style."

"I thought you said vampires like to try new things?"

"You are clever, aren't you?"

"I've got skills you can't even dream of, cowboy."

"I don't have enough imagination to have created you in a dream."

Well, isn't he smooth? I was coming to know him well enough to determine that he wasn't one to use pick up lines. If he could hypnotize someone, why bother? I got the distinct impression that he never said anything he didn't mean. He didn't find it necessary to sweet talk a woman he was only going to know for a few hours. And I was willing to bet, given all the things I've seen on TV and read about these so called "fangbangers" that Eric would have no short supply of willing women anyway.

And so I knew he meant that and it was the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me.

"Aren't you sweet?" I said, as I lowered my head to his.

"Not hardly." He whispered, just as my lips made contact with his. My hand slid lower and lower until my fingers teased the tip of what was a very impressive erection. He smiled and closed his eyes. I stroked and pumped and caressed while I watched him lose himself under my fingers. It was amazing. Was this what he saw when he watched me?

I had no idea what he was thinking right now. What was he thinking? I tried to open my mind and reach out but all I came away with was yellow. Did that mean something? I didn't have time to wonder because I was instantly on my back and he was pushing inside me. I gasped in surprise but whereas that movement was urgent, he slowed himself down, almost as if he remembered his earlier words about it not all being lust-crazed.

I liked it slow. I also liked it lust-crazed. But this was nice. The pleasure inside was a slow-burn gradually coming to a crescendo and drawing out.

"Sookie, look," he whispered.

Was he kidding? He was talking to me now? I was kind of in the middle of a moment here. I opened my eyes and he was looking over my head. When I angled my head up, I couldn't see what he was looking at, but something had him absolutely riveted.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Can't you see it?"

"I don't see any -" I broke off as I picked my head more to look around. There was a soft glow around us that I didn't remember being there earlier. "Did you light candles?"

"No." He smiled, looking back down at me. "You are light, Sookie."

"Wow."

"I told you it could be beautiful."

I was the light and that made him the dark. Interesting that the dark drew out the light; but on the other hand, he was up early because of me. So in that case, the light drew out the dark. My brain was starting to hurt from thinking too much there. I could only put my full energy into one thing at a time and at the moment I chose to focus on making love with Eric and the extraordinary thing we could apparently create together.

Whether the glow continued, I couldn't tell you because I closed my eyes as I gave myself over to another orgasm and then I felt Eric collapse to my side. He hadn't bitten me. I thought that was something he did in his happy moment, but maybe I was wrong?

"You didn't bite."

"It didn't seem…right." I chuckled as he burrowed his face into my shoulder. "You are laughing at me."

"You have quite a conscience for a member of the eternally damned."

"I never had one until _you_ came along."

"No way, fella, _you_ came after _me._" I volleyed. "I was just going about my life and then _you_ came along and turned it all on its ear."

"How is it you're still wearing your clothes?" He was grinning as he rubbed his hand along my back _over_ the shirt that I somehow managed to keep on.

"That's _your_ oversight." I was big on blame at the moment. "And speaking of which, what am I supposed to wear? I wasn't exactly expecting to stay here."

"Pam was going to go shopping last night. She was to get you food and clothes. Since you said you ate, I imagine there are clothes for you in the closet. I apologize ahead of time. I haven't seen it, but she was only supposed to get you a few things. Knowing her, there is an entire wardrobe in there."

I thought of the leather clad vampire in Eric's office and was suddenly not overly enthusiastic about the prospect of a new wardrobe. I extricated myself from Eric's side and wandered over to the closet. I slowly opened the door and peered in. The closet, naturally, was likewise enormous. Given Eric's previous warning, I wasn't surprised to see a rack full of women's clothes. I was surprised that they were my size and not black leather. There was a wide selection, too. I was embarrassed to see that she even got the bra and panty size right. How would she know _that_? I didn't want to think about it. But then again, if she came in while I was sleeping to put the food in the refrigerator and hang up all these clothes, maybe she came in to see my dress size before she left? It was just best not to dwell on it.

I picked out jeans and a t-shirt. There was probably some ensemble they were supposed to be a part of, but I really wasn't the kind of girl that could be trusted with that kind of thing.

"Mind if I take a shower?" I called over my shoulder.

"Wet, naked Sookie?" Was Eric's response. "Why on Earth would I mind that?"

Eric, of course, joined me in the shower. And believe it or not, there was actual bathing involved…mostly. And to his credit, he did a very thorough job of soaping me up, even washing my hair.

I was beginning to feel…taken care of. I liked it. I wasn't used to it, but I could see how I could get used to it, especially if he let me take care of him too, as I'm sure he would be reluctant to do.

After I dried off and got dressed, I combed out my hair. Eric's hair was delightfully disheveled from being dried with a towel. I liked that look.

"Tell me why we're bothering with clothes."

"I can't stay down here until I have to go to work on Tuesday, Eric."

"Why not?"

"Well, for one, I'm not your prisoner."

"Not to cause ire where none exists, my lover, but technically speaking you have no idea how to get out of here. So, I beg to differ."

"That's not a point in your favor." I glared in return. He shrugged and pulled on shoes. "I _need_ human interaction, Eric." I continued. "It's too overwhelming when I return if I'm away from people too long."

He put his hands in his pockets and watched me as I put my sandals on. "I didn't think of that." He confessed. "That makes sense. There are humans here today. The bar isn't open on Mondays, but there are still people upstairs. I have some things I need to do here. When I'm done, I could take you home."

"I drove here."

"I meant to my home." He smiled. I was curious to see Eric's house.

"I could pack some of this stuff up." I said, gesturing over my shoulder at the closet.

"I'm pretty sure she put stuff there too." He said with a slight wince.

"Eric really, you can't spoil me like this."

I yelped when suddenly I was in his arms and he was kissing my neck. "Lover, I've made a pretty good start of 'spoiling' you so far, but believe me, there's a lot more headed your way."

I tipped my head back as he went lower with the kisses, then stepped away when his hand slip up towards my bra strap. "Really. I can't stay down here all day."

He groaned, but not in a good way, then took my hand and led me from the room. By the time we finally emerged from his room, Pam was awake and upstairs ordering around the staff. She arched an eyebrow when we came through the basement door and crossed her arms over her chest. I was surprised to see her in a pink sweater and a pair of khaki pants. Her outfit was the polar opposite of what she wore the night before. Even her hair and makeup were toned down. I guessed her image when the bar was open was just for show.

The human thoughts flooded my mind. I looked around the room and picked out the humans from the vampires. Everyone seemed to have one interested eye on me. The humans were wondering who exactly I was, what was so damn special about me and how long it would be until Eric moved on. They also wondered what the hell I was doing coming up from the basement. I gathered they didn't really know about where Pam and Eric stayed during the day. Given the security to get into their rooms, I assumed that was information that they didn't often share.

"Sookie, how unfortunate to see you dressed." Pam smiled.

I blushed right down to my toes.

"She's trying to get a rise out of you." Eric said giving Pam some kind of look. "You were covered when she was in there."

Pam huffed and crossed her arms again. "Are you not going to allow me _any_ fun with all this?"

"No." Eric said. He kissed my temple and disappeared into the office. I was left with Pam. Eric's child. This was awkward.

"Ginger!" Pam called, keeping her eyes on me. The bleached blonde girl from the day before with scattered thoughts came running over. "Bring Sookie the take out menus. She'll want food soon."

"Yes, ma'am." Ginger nodded and scurried off.

"Thank you for your help." I smiled when we were alone again.

"At the moment, you seem to be making Eric very happy. Eric hasn't been even a little bit happy for quite some time now. So if you're happy, he'll be happy and he'll be off my back." She gestured to the bar stools near us and sat on one. "Have a seat. Let's have girl talk."

Well, this should be…mortifying. I certainly didn't have the comfort level with Pam that I had obtained so quickly with Eric. In fact, the other vampires that were in here were scary too. I honestly got the feeling that the only reason I wasn't being feasted upon was because of Eric. I suddenly felt very grateful for his promise of protection.

She eyed me steadily and I knew this was an intimidation tactic. It was working, but I refused to let that show.

"Have you always been with Eric?"

"If you mean _with_ in the carnal sense, no. Eric and I have not been lovers since just a few decades after he turned me. He's good in bed but I prefer women." Pam said. My eyes widened in surprise. I wasn't expecting that. She threw me right off my game. She laughed at the expression on my face. "You _are_ sweet. Don't worry, sweetheart, we've got no designs on each other. A sexual relationship between a vampire and their maker in the beginning is typical. They don't last."

She paused for a minute here. I had a feeling it wasn't so that this would have time to sink in a bit and I could get accustomed to the idea, but so I could make the next logical connection that if it was so typical, Eric probably had that kind of relationship with Godric in the beginning.

He was right. His world _was_ very shocking. And I still had a lot to learn.

"But if you mean _with_ in the other sense," she went on and I was positive she knew exactly what I was originally asking. "The answer is no. I haven't always stayed with Eric. He lets me go my own way, like Godric does with him. He did call me back a few years ago to help him start up our various businesses here, but now I stay with him willingly. He's a good boss. He's fair. And it helps to be the boss's child." She winked at me and it struck me how human a mannerism that was. I bet Pam could charm the pants right off her prey.

"What has Eric told you about me?" I asked her.

She looked around at the other vampires and humans in the room. "I will not get into that here. Suffice it to say, he has shared his suspicions with me."

I nodded. So he did tell her he thought I was fae. "And what do _you_ think?"

She gave me a fangy grin and I leaned back a bit. "I have not had the pleasure of experiencing you the way Eric has so I couldn't say. But Eric's been around a while. If he gave voice to it, then he must be pretty sure."

I nodded uneasily. Suddenly finding out you are not what you thought you were and your family isn't who you thought _they _were is a lot to accept. I trusted Eric. At the moment I didn't have a choice. But so far, I've also seen no reason _not_ to trust him.

"This is all very overwhelming."

"Well, Eric thinks you're up to it. He would not have bothered if he didn't." She said bluntly. "And if you're _not_, you're with the wrong vampire. Eric is very powerful and he has a lot of influence in our world. He is very ruthless, Sookie. He has to be. You have not seen all there is to see of him. He doesn't make a move without thinking it through. He doesn't say anything he doesn't mean. And he certainly doesn't make promises he can't back up. You have changed him. It may be for the good in the long run, but right now, I can feel his distraction. He has been completely absorbed in this."

I didn't say anything to that. I was hardly the one to blame. Like I said to Eric, I was just going about my life. It wasn't my fault that the higher ups in the vampire world suddenly took an interest in a waitress from Bon Temps. It's not like I was doing anything to draw anyone's attention. In fact, I was doing my damned best to just blend in.

"Eric said you've seen my cousin Hadley." I suddenly blurted out.

Pam's grin got wider. "Yes, I have."

"She's well?"

"Oh, she's very good."

"Do you see her often?"

"No. I don't go to New Orleans much."

"If you see her again, will you tell her I asked about her? Will you tell her I miss her?"

"I suppose I could do a favor for you, breather." Pam shrugged. "But sooner or later, you'll have to meet the queen whether Eric likes it or not. It's just good sense not to hide you from her. And when you do, I'm confident you'll see Hadley. She's the queen's favorite."

"Eric said she's still human."

"She is; for now. The queen will probably turn her though. She is quite fond of Hadley."

"I should knock her out for saying anything about me to the queen."

"Hearing you speak of violence, Sookie, is cute." Pam smiled. "The queen is very influential and Hadley was likely glamoured. I'm sorry to say she's an easy mark."

"Well, I'm not." I informed her. I was surprised that she hadn't tried to glamour me once. Eric must have told her at some point that it wouldn't work. And if someone as old as Eric couldn't hypnotize me, I'm sure a young vampire like Pam wouldn't be able to do it.

"No, you're not. You seem very willful and headstrong. That is a good thing, but too much independence on your part could put you in very grave danger. Keep in mind that you are in Eric's world, and he knows it well."

I appreciated Pam's bluntness, even if I didn't like most of what she was saying. She spoke of an Eric I didn't know, that I had yet to meet. I didn't know if she did it to warn me, shock me, or make me clear on her place in his life. I understood that she was his child and so they would be very close. And quite frankly, I really didn't care what Eric had done up until the point he went to bed with me, nor whom he'd done it with. What mattered was how he was from this point forward. He promised me exclusivity and as Pam just told me, he wouldn't make a promise he couldn't back up. And quite frankly, after the things we've experienced, I was quite confident I could hold his attention.

After that, we spent some time in the bar. Pam pointed out who everyone was and what their job was. I didn't interact with anyone, but I did read the humans. They were an interesting bunch. Every one of them had been a lover or lunch of Eric or Pam's at some point. Most of them were hooked up with the other vampires on staff, or more than one. All of them seemed to be pretty devoted to the sheriff and his second-in-command.

None of them were overly thrilled at my presence. I didn't dress like them. I didn't look like them. I had Pam's attention. I quite obviously had Eric's attention. Eric never showed an actual interest in any of them or any other human they've observed him around. According to Eric though, I wasn't human and they would never know that. I was used to hearing unflattering things about me.

"Anything interesting?" Pam asked snapping my attention back to her. She was watching me carefully. She knew I was reading the staff.

"Not really." I shrugged. "You and Eric have a lot of admirers."

"They're boring me now." Pam said disinterested. "But they're well trained and hard workers. So I'll wait for someone else as tasty as you to come along. Of course, I'm not sure I'll wait a thousand years like Eric."

Speaking of the devil, he reemerged from the office then. The atmosphere in the room changed. It was almost charged. The staff had a very different reaction to their sheriff than they did to his lieutenant. Not that they didn't respect and fear Pam, but Eric was something more.

He didn't pay them any mind.

"Had enough human interaction yet, my lover?" he asked. I registered surprise from the humans around us that heard his words. I couldn't help feeling a little smug.

I lowered my voice and leaned in to him. "They're kind of depressing."

He mimicked my movement. "Humans typically come here because they have some sort of death wish, my beauty. We are death. We are danger. They find it exciting. And they get too wrapped up in it. And when they discover it's real, it is usually too late."

"Okay, you really didn't sell yourself there." I replied with a slight shiver.

He smiled down at me and kissed my forehead. "Well, you didn't run away screaming, so I guess Pam wasn't too terrifying. She must be losing her touch."

"We had a very enlightening conversation."

"Which I'm sure wasn't good for me."

"Well, I didn't run away screaming…" I said, tossing his words back at him.

Pam rolled her eyes. "If you two are quite finished with your little floor show, I have actual work to do. It seems the staff is much too entertained by the Eric and Sookie Hour and need to be reminded of what exactly it is they do here."

The staff instantly scattered and Pam left us alone.

"Come, let's go. I'll feed you." He said, grabbing my hand and leading me towards the door.

"With a smooth pick up line like that, how can any girl refuse?"

"It's a wonder."

I was glad to leave Fangtasia behind tonight. I was glad to be out of that environment and in one I knew and was more comfortable in. Though I was sure I'd miss Eric, I was happy that I would be returning to Merlotte's the next day. It would feel good to be back around things and people I understood and where things were definitely not complicated.


	8. Chapter 8

**8.**

**A/N: My friends! Eric and Sookie made it to the final four of E! Online's TV's Top Couples Tournament. Go vote! Vote like the wind!**

**~Sookie~**

I made it home on Tuesday with enough time to take a shower, get dressed and shove some food down my throat. I didn't check my messages on my machine. I just tore through the door of Merlotte's with five minutes to spare before my shift. I was flying high from my few days with Eric, but it was short-lived as Sam grabbed me roughly and spun me around.

"Where the fuck have you been?" He demanded.

"What?" I asked dumbly. Why was he so mad?

"Tara!" Sam called out to the bar. "Call Jason. Sookie's here!"

"Sookie's here?" Tara sounded frantic and came running into the back on her cell phone. "Jason, she's here. She looks fine. That's not going to last though because I'm going to kick her ass." Tara snapped her phone shut and glared at me. "Where the fuck have you been? Do you know how god damn worried we've been?"

"I don't understand." I said confused. "Did I miss a shift? Wasn't I off on Sunday?"

"Yes." Sam answered.

"And we were closed yesterday, right?"

"Yes." Both Sam and Tara snapped.

"I don't understand what the problem is." What was I missing? Why were they so worked up?

"Is that Sookie?" Now Lafayette poked his head out of the kitchen. "Oooh, Hookah. You had a lot of people worried."

"I'm fine!"

"We left you messages." Sam said. "All of us did and a couple of them each and you didn't call anyone back. You've been totally unreachable for two days." Sam said. He was calming down now that he could see I was just fine. Tara still had a pretty good head of steam going, but now that she wasn't so worried, she was just plain pissed.

"I have a cell phone now." I said trying to keep the peace. "I'll give you the number."

"Since when do you have a cell phone?" Tara asked. She was impressed that I joined the 21st century.

"Sookie!" My brother's voice came from the front of the bar.

"Now, you're in fucking trouble." Tara mumbled. "As if he hasn't had enough to deal with."

I was just about to give in and read Tara, Sam and Lafayette when Jason came into the hallway and suddenly, I was in a very tight, brotherly hug that I don't think I'd been on the receiving end of for years. "Oh god dammit, Sook! I've been going out of my fucking mind. Are you all right?"

"Yes, but I can't breathe, Jason." I gasped trying to pull back. He didn't seem ready to let go yet. But the direct contact enabled me to get a stronger reading from Jason and that's when I discovered what was going on and why everyone was freaking out.

Maudette Pickens and Dawn Green were dead. Jason was the last person either one of them were seen with and the police thought _he_ did it, but Andy Bellefleur wasn't completely convinced because both victims had vampire bites. I was last seen leaving the bar with a vampire and then nobody had seen or heard from me again until I just walked through the door.

"Maudette and Dawn?" I whispered. I wouldn't call Dawn and I friends, but we did work together and got along okay. She'd been doing whatever with Jason on and off for years.

"Shit, Sook! You're all I got left. I don't care what you do, but if you're going to disappear like that, call me for God's sake. I don't even care that you were just rooting around in my head. I thought this fucking psycho got you and dumped you somewhere."

"I'm sorry, Jason. I didn't know what was going on. I have a cell phone now. I'll give you the number."

"Where have you been? I tried the house. You weren't even there to sleep. It didn't look like you'd taken anything other than your car with you."

"Honestly, I didn't expect to be gone that long. I was only going out for the night. I – I was in Shreveport with Eric."

That stunned the four of them into silence. I could practically hear crickets chirping.

"Who the fuck is Eric?" Tara was the first to recover.

"The vampire that was in here the other night." Sam said quietly. He stepped back, leaned against the wall and ran a hand down his face. I didn't know why, but he sounded like any other answer would have been preferable to that one.

"Wow, Hookah." Lafayette was impressed. "I thought you was glowing a bit more than when you left." Interesting choice of words, I thought. "You've been having sex."

Jason tensed up; Tara's jaw dropped; Sam looked like he was about to put his fist through the wall; and I was looking around for a hole to crawl into.

"I will fucking stake that bastard." Jason hissed.

"No!" I said frantically grabbing Jason's arm. "No, Jason, I wanted to. He's been wonderful to me. You don't know him -"

"No, _you_ don't know him, Sookie." Sam found his voice again. It was low and almost chilling. "Sookie, he is incredibly dangerous. He has a reputation for ruthlessness and has a string of women. He hypnotizes them so they think what he wants them to. He's a killer and if you keep seeing him, you'll end up dead."

"He's not like that with me." I whispered.

"You've known him for two days." Sam countered.

"Damn, Sook. Good for you. Watch that pretty neck of yours." Lafayette replied and then sauntered back into the kitchen. I smiled. I could tell from his head he thought I was crazy for getting involved with a vampire, but didn't think he was really in the position to cast stones. And truth be told, I didn't think _any_ of them were.

"You know, I've read about these fangbangers, Sookie, and even Maudette and Dawn told me some stuff. You're not one of _them_, are you?" Jason said.

"He doesn't have any other women." I insisted. "He only wants me."

"Yeah, but for what?" Tara asked.

This was really my breaking point. Two minutes ago, I was touched by their concern; now they were just pissing me off.

"I don't know, but it can't be because I'm an interesting person, right?" I snapped. "He can't possibly find me attractive and fun. No, he must _want_ something from me. Because _nobody_ ever wants crazy Sookie with her bizarre disability; I'm just too naïve and stupid to see clearly, right?"

"We didn't mean it like that." Sam said, feeling properly chastised.

"Bullshit you didn't." I hissed in return. "I have to get ready for my shift. Y'all just stay far away from me."

I stormed off into the bar. Arlene and Holly were already getting ready for the bar to open up for the lunch crowd. I knew they heard everything that just happened. Quite frankly, I was surprised Arlene hadn't rushed over to butt her nose in too. Then I saw that she tried to, but Terry Bellefleur stopped her. He knew what it was like to be different and thought people were too hard on me. I liked Terry.

I didn't speak to anyone for the rest of my shift unless it was absolutely necessary. I was so mad, I didn't listen in to anyone either. I didn't want to hear what they had to say. They didn't give me the benefit of the doubt. I was a grown woman with a brain of my own and maybe it wasn't as good as _their_ brains, but it worked a lot more and I wasn't an idiot.

Jason hung around through lunch. The others had heeded my orders to stay away, but not Jason. He was my brother and so I let him slide. It was his job to protect me and get upset when I dated. I knew he would have reacted that way no matter who I said I was with. I hadn't been out on a lot of dates, but the ones I had been out on, Jason showed the proper amount of protectiveness.

And I was worried about him. He was upset about Maudette and Dawn and he honestly couldn't figure out what had happened. When he was honest with himself, Maudette didn't really bother him, but Dawn did. They'd been going at it for years and she was his "favorite." That was a little more information than I needed to know, but then again, the old saying was eavesdroppers never heard anything they liked, right?

When he was finished with lunch, he hugged me again and I gave him my cell phone number. I did feel bad for not calling anyone at all. But I honestly was so swept up that I didn't even think about it. And it was my time off. I really didn't think anyone would notice.

When my shift was over, I didn't linger. I quickly filled in the waitress who was relieving me on what was happening in my section, then wrote down my cell phone number for Tara and Sam, handed it to them without a word and left the bar. Screw them and their high horses.

I stopped at the supermarket on my way home. I was going to go the day before, but then ended up staying in Shreveport – where I felt more welcome. On a whim, I bought TrueBlood for Eric. The clerk was a girl from Bon Temps. She was a senior in high school and she thought it was exciting that I knew a vampire. She wondered if he was hot and I almost answered her unspoken thought that he was beyond hot.

When I got home, I made dinner, took the vitamin B supplements like a good little vampire-girlfriend, took a bath and then passed out in bed with a smutty romance novel, which suddenly didn't seem too smutty anymore.

**~Eric~**

To say the shifter was surprised to see me kicked back at his desk when he entered his office was an understatement. But there I was, feet crossed at the ankles, leaned back in the chair with my hands locked on my stomach. I liked to make an impression.

"Good evening, shifter." I said pleasantly.

When he recovered the power of speech, he said, "What do you want?" I like an adversary who cuts right to the chase.

"We haven't been formally introduced."

"I know who you are." He eyed me warily and I gave him points for not moving as far away from me as he could. I wondered what shape he was considering fighting me in. Not that he'd win, but it would be fun to fight a bear or a tiger. I knew of a Weretiger that fought in the pits for the vampires. He was quite the fighter; a bit of an asshole though, if my memory served right.

"Well, that makes it easier."

"Sookie's not here," he said quickly.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. I always know where she is; I can track her." I replied. I could see that he knew what that meant. He wasn't the slightest bit happy about that little bit of information. Sookie was at home, asleep. I knew that because I went there first to be sure she was safe. I also knew that she spent most of her day pissed off and upset, which I wasn't happy about at all. I assumed she had to explain to these ingrates where she was for two days and they didn't like it. "Tell me, shifter, does Sookie know what you are?"

"No."

"Why haven't you told her?"

"I didn't know how she would take it. Are _you_ planning on telling her?"

"I will if I have to. But I will give you the opportunity to tell her first." I rose up out of the chair then and wandered out from behind the desk. "Have you ever heard of Sophie Anne LeClerq?"

"The vampire queen?" He replied.

"Very good. She has sent a vampire by the name of Bill Compton to this area to procure Sookie."

"He's been in here."

"Has he asked about her?"

"No, not that I could tell. What does the queen want with her?" He seemed concerned and that was to his credit. He was in love with Sookie. For whatever stupid shifter reason, he never made a move to show her and that was to his fault.

"You know she is gifted." I said simply.

"Yeah, everyone around here's pretty much figured out there's…something going on in there." And they were afraid of what they didn't understand. Idiots.

"The queen wants her." I said. "I am going to ensure that doesn't happen. I can sense when she is in trouble and I can track her. But I can't get to her during the day and that is where you come in and why you must tell her what you are. She'll be surprised, but she'll accept it. She needs to know _why_ she can come to you if she's in trouble."

"_Nobody_ knows what I am." Sam said firmly. "Nobody."

"The Weres are talking about coming out, Mr. Merlotte, and when they do, the shifters will follow. It is only a matter of time. I have no interest in outing you to the whole town, just to Sookie. If I had my way, I would keep her by my side around the clock, but she is too free-spirited for that and she has impressed upon me how important human interaction is to her."

Sam sighed and ran a hand down his face. He didn't like being backed into a corner any more than the next guy; unfortunately for him, I didn't care.

"I'll tell her tomorrow." He acquiesced.

"No, tomorrow she's going to Texas."

"Texas! She didn't say anything about that. She just had two days off."

"When's the last time she asked for a vacation?" I countered.

"Well, actually she never has."

"I need her in Texas. I understand you're short-handed with the murder of your waitress."

"She had vampire bites on her, you know."

"Was she drained?"

"No, she was strangled."

"Then no vampire killed her." I dismissed. "That is only another reason that Sookie is coming to Texas with me. There is a murderer on the loose here." And I'll be damned if some stupid human with a vendetta against who knew what took her from me when I just found her.

"The cops think it's her brother."

"What does Sookie think?"

"She says it wasn't Jason."

"Then it wasn't." I shrugged. I had no interest in getting involved in human trivialities. I cared only that the murderer didn't have free reign of Sookie's house. Besides, Jason Stackhouse struck me as just too stupid to commit murder.

"What do you want from her?" He demanded. "You met her two nights ago for the first time. She came in here tonight with fucking stars in her eyes. She's a nice girl and doesn't deserve to be sucked up into vampire politics. And I promise you, if you harm a single hair on her head, it will be my stake that does you in."

Not fucking likely there, shifter.

"I'm over a thousand years old. I can and _have_ slaughtered a pack of Weres all by myself. It is unlikely that I will be brought down by a pup like you. You knew of me before I darkened your door the other night and I know for a fact it's not because of my good deeds and kind ways. If you loved Sookie half as much as you think you do, you'd know what my interest in her is. She has come to mean a great deal to me in a very short amount of time, so much so there are several new laws in place in my area concerning her. She is coming to Texas with me tomorrow and she'll be gone a couple of weeks. For reasons far surpassing my understanding, she likes working here. Now you can fire her for it but if she sheds so much as a tear over it, things will be ugly for you."

"I wouldn't fire her."

"When she comes back, tell her what you are." I tossed over my shoulder as I walked out of the office and out the back door of the bar. I paused when I got in the parking lot. I smelled fairy. And it wasn't my fairy either. Curious. Were they looking for Sookie? What did they want here? I was planning on flying over to Sookie's but instead, I followed the trail and not surprisingly, it led right to her house. It stopped at the tree line. This was an interesting development. I circled the house to see if it picked up anywhere else, and the scent went the entire perimeter of the yard.

When I reached the front of the house, I found Sookie sitting on a bench on the porch, wrapped in a blanket. "Good evening, my lover, I thought you were sleeping." I said as I walked up the steps.

"I was. I had another dream about you." She said, keeping her eyes on mine. This was interesting.

"I wouldn't have happened to have been at Merlotte's, would I?"

"Yes, you were." She said. "Did you threaten Sam?"

"Obviously, you know I did."

"What is he?"

"That is not my secret to tell."

"You're keeping a lot of secrets from me."

"Such as?"

"I'm going to Texas?"

"Godric has summoned us to Texas. I came here earlier to tell you and you were sleeping. Rather than disturb you then, I went see your boss." Now I was really going to have to stay on my toes. This was the second dream she had about me when I wasn't with her and I was doing not nice things.

"I can't be gone two weeks, Eric." She said. She sounded tired. She was feeling melancholy and I was curious as to why. "I have bills to pay. I can't afford not to work."

"I will take care of anything you fall behind on because you are gone." I assured her. She sighed and I knew she was going to argue with me. "It's only fair, Sookie. You are missing work because of me. Godric has ordered me to bring you. You _have_ to come Sookie. It can be easy or we can do it my way."

"I don't want to argue." She sighed and looked down. "Fine, I'll go to Texas."

There was no fight here. This was not my spirited Sookie. She was happy when she left me and she was not being returned to me that way. This was unacceptable.

"Let's go inside and you can tell me what happened today."

"It's no big deal really…"

"Inside, lover." I wanted to get inside and out of plain view. A fairy had been here very recently and the scent was getting me worked up. The fairy was obviously no longer around or I would definitely know it, but the sooner I was away from it, the better for both of us.

I let her stand up and go inside on her own volition. She didn't get far. She dropped down on the couch with a thud. I closed the curtains on the front window.

"Now tell me why you are sad." I sat down next to her and I couldn't help but smile when she dropped her head onto my shoulder and told me about what happened when she got to work.

When she got to what Sam said about me, she sat up and looked at me with her big, blue questioning eyes. "Do you, Eric? Do you kill a lot of people?" When I saw those trusting eyes, I was immediately inclined to lie. I just didn't want to be someone that disappointed her again. But I sucked it up.

"When I have to." I admitted. "When it's warranted. And I will not hesitate to kill if you are in danger. You have not seen that side of me yet, Sookie, and I hope you never do, but know that it does exist."

"I knew that. I did. In the back of my mind, I did know that that must be the case but you're so gentle and good with me that I guess I just push it to the back of my mind and don't think about it." She really was very sweet.

"You have to think about it, Sookie." I insisted quietly. "I am often guided by that side of my nature and I do not feel guilt about it. I am old enough that I do not kill indiscriminately, but I do kill." She nodded and I knew her well enough to know that she decided to push it out of her head anyway. I was selfish enough to be fine with that. I wasn't going to lie to her, so what she chose to do with the information was up to her.

I was surprised when she dropped her head down into my lap and closed her eyes. I thought for sure that after that declaration, she would keep her distance for a few minutes, but that part of me still wasn't real to her. And when it was, I imagined that would be what made her run away screaming.

"I am sorry you've been dragged into this." I said stroking her hair. I was amazed I could have an intimate moment fully clothed. This felt nice; it felt normal.

"I prefer to think if I hadn't been, we never would have met."

"You are a glass is half full girl." I smiled and added that to my list. I was a glass is half empty guy myself. She was my exact opposite. She was light; I was dark. Her glass was half full; mine was half empty, although that was debatable at that point.

"Well, if you don't look on the bright side…" she trailed off and I smirked.

"All you have is darkness. Ironic, isn't it? I was just thinking the same thing."

"Let's talk about something else."

Fine by me. "What would you like to talk about?" I continued to stroke her hair. It was soft and smooth and fell lightly through my fingers.

"When do we leave for Texas?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

She sat up, her eyes wide. My fingers still played with the ends of her hair. "And just how much of my blood do you think you're going to take to pull _that_ off?" She demanded. I grinned. I shouldn't be so amused because this was only a reminder of how very much I still needed to explain to her, but I was.

"I have a special travel coffin. We're flying Annubus Airlines. Bobby has made all the arrangements and will travel with us."

"Ugh. Really?"

"Do you not like Bobby?" I tried to be casual about it, but if Bobby was rude to her after I specifically instructed him to be polite, things were going to be very unpleasant for him.

"Not really, no."

"Was he not nice to you?"

"He was very professional."

"What is the problem then?"

"It's not what he _said_."

"Ah. It's what he _thought_."

"He disapproves of me."

"Well it's certainly a good thing I do not seek his permission on who I choose to spend my time with."

"Eric!" she was frustrated with me. She should be; I was toying with her. "He's an _asshole_."

"Yes, he is." I wholeheartedly agreed. "But he's very efficient. Listen to me now. When we get to Godric's, there will be a very small window of time between when we get there and when I rise, though given how early I've gotten up the last few days, there might not be. We will be put in a bedroom when we get there. Under _no_ circumstances are you to leave it before I rise. You will be able to wander the house on your own, but absolutely _not_ until I have shown you all of it and exactly who you are has been made plain to everyone there." She nodded. "Say the words."

"Yes, I understand."

I should have found reassurance in her words, but Sookie was still unpredictable to me and entirely too curious. She has not seen the terrifying side of a vampire yet. She hasn't met Weres and shifters (that she knew of) and she didn't know how dark it truly was. But on the other hand, _they_ didn't know the voltage of the light they were about to meet.


	9. Chapter 9

**9.**

**~Sookie~**

Godric's house was bigger than a train station. Bobby told me on the flight down that the estate was once a Polo Club in the 20's. There was a lot of natural light and what Bobby called stylish symmetry. He assumed I didn't know what that meant. The trophy room was still there with cross beamed ceilings and large murals. The floors were Italian marble and the interior of the house was painted in sage green, light taupe and white. As we drove up the long winding drive, we passed a heavily staffed guardhouse. The grounds were lush green. The most breathtaking part was the large reflecting pool I saw to the rear. That was probably beautiful at night with the moonlight shimmering off of it. There was a pool and a pond on the estate.

If Bobby thought the term "fish out of water" one more time when he looked at me, I was going to punch him in his stupid smug face. He was glad Eric had brought him along because apparently there was _no way_ I could have handled traveling with him alone. He didn't look too difficult to me. Bobby had seen to all the arrangements. I had to admit, it was kind of creepy traveling with a coffin. But everyone who had come in contact with Eric treated the resting vampire like the coffin was filled with pure gold. Bobby was disappointed he didn't have to fight anyone. It seemed that in addition to being "efficient," he was heavily armed and a well-trained fighter.

It didn't change the fact that he was an asshole though.

He wondered for the hundredth time what Eric saw in me; why I was so god damned special that Eric had threatened him with cutting off a finger for each nasty thing he said to me. I wondered if this was the perfect moment to tell him I was telepathic, but again decided I'd have a better moment. It was too bad that I couldn't conjure these electric shocks Eric was so fond of. It would be nice to throw a few thousand megawatts through Bobby the Butthead over there.

The room we were given was bigger than both Eric's room at Fangtasia and at his house. I wondered briefly if this was "his" room. Bobby had told me that Godric had a vampire lover Liam who always took care of guests and played host. Bobby was enjoying showing off how much he knew about Eric versus how little I did. Godric and Liam had been together for a few centuries it seemed. I grinned a bit and wondered to myself if Eric considered Liam something of a stepfather. I got the feeling it didn't really work that way in the vampire world, even if that was how I kept track of this cast of characters in Eric's life.

When I commented on what a grand house it was for a vampire, that's when I found out that Godric was the King of Texas. Okay, _that_ Eric could have told me. So did that make Eric some kind of prince? He really was the Prince of Darkness. I chuckled at that and Bobby thought, again, that Eric was tangled up with a crazy chic and wondered if he'd lose a whole limb if he said as much to Eric.

"If you're not thinking that you landed quite the catch, you should be." Bobby said haughtily.

"It's not about money for all of us."

"Obviously."

I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow at him.

"Well, it is. Are you saying it's not?" He was such a snob.

No, I wasn't; but he didn't have to be such a dick.

"I think we'll be okay." I hissed. I opened the bedroom door and indicated it was time for him to get out. Eric didn't say anything about Bobby staying in here too, so he was on his own.

"If you need anything, Miss Stackhouse, I'm right across the hall." He said formally.

"I won't." I replied. "Eric will be up soon."

"It's just barely four o'clock. He won't be up for hours. Do you want me to show you how to work the television?" He was thinking about when Eric was up at 4:30 and how odd it was, but he dismissed it as a fluke. After all, _he_ knew Eric better than _me_ and Eric didn't rise until the exact moment dusk began and that wasn't for another hour and 48 minutes.

"No. I will be fine." I assured him. And if I wasn't, I sure as hell wasn't going to him for help. I'd rather sit here and bleed, or starve or have to pee.

I slammed the door behind him, huffed over to the bed and plopped myself down. Damn this thing was soft. I kicked my shoes off and stretched out. This was the most comfortable bed I had ever laid on. I wondered how much this mattress and comforter cost. I could imagine myself sinking into it at the end of a long shift. It would feel like heaven. Just as I was starting to think of Eric with me in this nice big, comfy bed, my eyes drifted shut.

**~Eric~**

I popped out of the miserable travel coffin and checked my watch. 4:15. Damn. I was going to need to rethink my schedule to make the most out of this extra time I was gaining. My eyes scanned the room and fell on Sookie sleeping in the bed. It struck me as odd that she would be taking a nap at this time of day, but then again, she was a breather and not accustomed to keeping up with the hours a vampire did. She was used to late nights and sleeping later in the morning, but not the kind of hours _I_ kept.

Not to mention I was taking blood from her. She assured me that she was following my dietary instructions, but when it came right down to it, she was a breather and had different health requirements. Another blood exchange would make her stronger. I wondered if I could talk her into it. That would be the second time and she never really said what she thought about being fully bonded. I didn't think she really understood what it meant.

I didn't know how long she had been sleeping and was hesitant to wake her. It would be a late night for her. I looked over at the wall of shelves lined with books. I supposed I could read for a little while, but I didn't really feel like doing that. There was a home theater system in here as well, but I wasn't interested in watching t.v. either.

I strolled over to the refrigerator in the room. Liam would have stocked it with blood for me. This was considered my room and Liam kept it ready, convinced I could return to the nest at any moment. Liam was flamboyant, not to the extent that cook at Merlotte's was, but he was quite the hostess. I was confident Martha Stewart could not find fault with his hospitality.

I sat down on the pristine white couch in front of the fireplace, drank the blood and watched Sookie sleep. I _really_ wanted to wake her up. Why drink synthetic blood when _she_ was right there?

I dropped my head back, propped my feet up on the coffee table and began to count her heart beats.

That's when I realized I was bored out of my mind.

I supposed I could summon Bobby and get the report from the trip, but I didn't want him in here when Sookie was sleeping. And I certainly didn't want him in here when she woke up. I assumed by now he had told her Godric was King. I didn't tell her that. I probably should have in hindsight. She was probably pretty shocked.

Godric rose just before dusk. I stood up and crossed the room just as I felt him get to the door. There was a light knock and then it swung open. Frankly, I'm impressed he knocked. That was a courtesy to Sookie, who was sleeping anyway.

I bowed when he walked in. "You've been up for a while," he noted.

"Yes."

"We have much to talk about."

"Yes."

"How long were you going to wait to tell me?"

"Not much longer, I swear."

I would have moved to him then, but Liam swept in. "Eric! The Prodigal Son returns." He stepped right up to me and kissed both of my cheeks. "Where's the one causing all the upheaval?" Liam stepped back and looked toward the bed. "Oh. My. A woman." I rolled my eyes. They knew I preferred women. He moved to the side of the bed and crouched down to get a better look at Sookie's face.

"She'll be terrified if she wakes up and sees you in her face like that." I hissed. We all had dropped our voices to a level that wouldn't wake her. Hell, she wouldn't hear us if she was awake and paying attention.

Godric joined Liam, though he didn't crouch down like Liam did. Please, Sookie, _please_ don't wake up right now. She'd never recover from the fright. "She is responsible for the change," he said simply. "She is very beautiful."

"Isn't this an odd time of day for a human to be sleeping?" Liam asked standing back up. He looked concerned; he was probably one step away from calling the court doctor. Liam was prone to dramatics.

"Yes, but she's had quite a few days of stress and the trip probably tired her out." I replied.

"She's not the only one." Godric replied, looking pointedly at me.

"No," I admitted pressing my fingertips to my forehead. Godric looked at me and smiled. "What?" I asked him. He was trying my patience. "What is so funny to you?"

He shrugged. "I have finally seen everything."

"What the hell does that mean?" I snapped.

"Eric!" Liam chided appalled. "Do not speak to your maker so. Do not speak to the _king_ so."

Godric waived him off. I was Godric's only child. What's more, I was over a thousand years old. I was afforded a certain amount of leeway. Someone else might have lost their tongue for snapping at the king.

"You have finally found _love_, Eric." Godric smiled. "What I have been feeling from you is _love_, you idiot."

A child could have knocked me flat on my ass. "No," I denied, shaking my head. "It's too soon. I care about her, yes. Stop looking at me with that grin, sire." Of course, he didn't. "There is still a lot I don't know about her."

"Tell me what you do know."

"_Now?_" I asked incredulously. He raised one eyebrow at me. Yes, of course it would be now. "She is telepathic."

"_Really?_" Liam looked back down at her, obviously impressed. "Does she hear you?"

"No. She can't hear vampires. I am also positive she is part fairy."

"Yes, I can smell it." Godric nodded.

"_Really?_" Liam said again.

"That goes no further than this room." Godric said sternly. Of course, I wasn't the one he was talking to. "None of the others can know that."

"A fairy." Liam sighed and then inhaled deeply. "I cannot smell it."

"You are too young still." Godric replied.

"Her father carried the Brigant name."

"That is problematic." Godric said. "I wonder if Niall knows of her."

"Somebody does. Last night I smelled fairy outside the bar she works at. I followed the trail and it went right back to her house. It was very strong. She wants to meet a fairy. She is not fully convinced she is fae. But there is energy in her that comes out when she is aroused. It is the most…stunning thing I have ever felt."

Oh God, Liam was gushing. "Eric fell in love with a telepathic fairy from _Louisiana!_ Now _I_ have seen everything. It's so romantic!"

"She also dreams of me."

"Oh!" Liam clutched his chest and I rolled my eyes.

"No, she has seen things I've done while I was doing them, like she was watching in real time. She was able to relay a situation back to me with perfect detail."

"I can't stand it! Wake her up, Eric." Liam demanded. "I want to meet her."

"No, let her sleep." Godric contradicted. "She needs her rest, especially if she is to keep up with Eric. Liam, go talk to Robert. I'd like a special dinner tonight. The four of us, nobody else."

"In the solarium, I think." Liam nodded.

"Wherever and whatever you would like, dearest. I leave it up to your good judgment." Godric replied. Liam nodded and left the room on a mission, closing the door behind him.

"Your anxiety is misplaced, my child." Godric said as soon as Liam was gone. "I have no wish to see her harmed. Quite the opposite, actually. How can I wish harm upon someone who has brought you this kind of joy? There may have been a time when I would have been jealous of someone that has captured your attention in this way, but that has long since passed. I do not wish to see you suffer."

"I do not believe it is love; at least not yet." I certainly couldn't deny it was _something_. But love?

"This is God's work." Oh crap, here we go.

"God does not save the likes of me."

"Maybe he's saving her." Godric countered. "Maybe it is _her_ he is helping and through that, she's saving you."

"It is a nice thought, Godric, but…"

"I have been in this world a lot longer than you have. God reveals himself in mysterious ways."

"Or not at all, in some cases." I replied, looking back to where Sookie still slept. I was an eternal cynic, but I liked the idea that Godric was offering. She has changed me; that much I could not deny. Whether or not it is enough for me to alter the way I live my life remained to be seen. I found it unlikely she had _that_ much influence over me at the moment. But I supposed I could see how she might one day. After all, I have been consumed with everything about her for the past four days.

I did not believe in God. Vampires were godless creatures. Godric had never given up on a divine power and we had gone round and round for centuries over the issue. I finally gave up and agreed to disagree.

"Bring her down when she wakes." Godric ordered. He crossed over to me and put his hand on my cheek. "It is good to see you here, Eric. We will talk to the fairies and we will keep her safe."

He left the room then and I walked to the bed and looked down at her. I thought about what he had said. There was no denying she meant a great deal to me. I did like the idea that we found our way to each other for a reason, even if I did believe that reason was a load of crap.

When she slept, she looked like an angel. When she was awake she looked like an angel. If I hadn't tasted her myself, I would have thought she might be a different kind of fae. But an angel just would not be sent to me. There was nothing to save me from and if there was, I had done nothing to deserve saving. If anything, it was I who was to look after her.

I stretched out on the bed up against her, bent down and kissed her neck. She smiled and rolled to her back.

"Wake up, my beauty."

"I love this bed." She said huskily, opening her eyes.

"Are you well?"

"Just tired, I guess. How long have I been asleep?"

"I rose at 4:15 and you were sleeping then."

"What time is it now?"

"6:30."

"Wow, that's some nap." She said blinking quickly.

"You obviously needed some rest." I replied, kissing her again. "We will be having dinner with Godric and his companion, Liam, tonight."

"The _king_?"

"I know I should have told you that. There was a lot to have to tell you in a very short amount of time and I just hadn't gotten to that one yet."

"I suppose what with the vampire queen trying to kidnap me and me supposedly being part fairy, you hit the big stuff first." She sighed. "Still it was a bit of a shock. Does that make you some kind of prince?"

"No, not really. Although you will see I am treated differently." I smiled. "Though I was in my human life."

She certainly wasn't expecting me to say that. She did a double take and I think she was more surprised by that bit of information than she was about the part-fairy bit. "An actual prince?"

"My father was a Viking king." The memories of my last days as a human came flooding back. That wasn't something I allowed myself to think about often, but as I still hadn't avenged my family, it was not something I would allow myself to forget either.

"You're very serious all of the sudden. What happened to your family?" She asked quietly. This was one of the many reasons I could see myself in love with her. She wanted to know about me and I wanted to tell her. Even Pam didn't know everything about me.

"They were murdered; I was spared; Godric turned me a few days later when I was tracking down their killer." I said simply.

"Were you married?"

"No, though I had fathered a few children. Promiscuity is something I've always indulged in. My father had been hounding me for quite some time to take a wife. He was faithful to my mother and I was not ready to give up all my lovers for just one."

"That's pretty honorable of you, Eric, considering how many men have affairs on their wife."

"In my defense," I grinned. "None of them actually _asked_ me to be faithful to them."

"Oh, well, that makes _all_ the difference." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "It's a good thing I got that out there right away."

"You are probably more than I could handle at the moment anyway." I teased.

"So really I'm doing you a favor then?"

"You could say that." I kissed the tip of her nose in response to a huff. "Up you get now. Liam and Godric are anxious to see you awake."

"Awake?" she asked sitting up. "Were they here?"

"Yes, lover. They were here exactly at dusk."

"I wasn't doing anything embarrassing like drooling on the pillow or anything like that, was I?"

"No, you looked beautiful. Even Godric said so." She blushed and looked away. I just adored that. I didn't know any women that blushed. "But Liam is very excited to talk to you."

"_Why?_"

Because they believe I am in love with you and up until recently most of us thought that was impossible.

"I don't know; I told him you weren't all that interesting."

She picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it at me. "I don't know what to do here, Eric. This is very much _not_ my element. How do I act? How do I dress? What do I talk about?"

"I don't understand." I frowned. "You act and dress like Sookie. I will admit that the house and its contents are…expensive, but that should not affect you. And it will not affect the way you are received by the others, nor how they treat you. Believe me you will be treated with the utmost respect."

"Because I am _yours_?"

"Yes." I said simply.

"What if someone else thought I should be _theirs_?" She asked as she rifled through her garment bag and pulled out a long flowing white dress that was sure to cause me headaches this evening.

Clearly that was something that I needed to explain, since that is not the first time she has expressed concern about something like that. "Believe it or not, vampires do have a code of ethics and typically stick to them. However, hypothetically speaking, if someone _did_ decide that they wanted you for themselves they could challenge me for you and it is a fight to the death. Bear in mind, it would be unlikely they would win. And no one would do that here because they not only respect Godric too much, but they also fear him.

"This brings me to something else I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"What's that?" she asked as she twisted her hair on top of her head. I momentarily lost my thought. "Eric?"

"A second blood exchange. It will make you stronger and easier for me to track."

"In case someone hypothetically snatches me?" She said. I really did adore her. "I guess so."

"Are you uncomfortable with that, lover?"

"I'm _uncomfortable_ with the whole situation, Eric." She sighed. "But I trust you. I'm going to take a shower now and you stay in here, buddy, or we'll never get out of this room."

I didn't know what the problem with that was, but I let her saunter off into the bathroom anyway. I had a lot to think about. Godric and Liam thought I was in love with a mortal who trusted me; a woman who knew what I was and arguably what I was capable of. She was intelligent enough to be afraid of Bill Compton, but she was not afraid of me or anyone associated with me for the simple reason that she trusted me to keep her safe. And that was a lot of responsibility to carry.

But I wanted that responsibility I wanted that responsibility because Godric and Liam were right. I _was_ in love with Sookie and I had been since the first moment I laid eyes on her.


	10. Chapter 10

**10.**

**~Sookie~**

Eric and I were barely half-way down the stairs when we were descended upon by other vampires. There were some humans intermingled in the gathering that seemed to be flowing from the parlor to the foyer to the dining room and what I thought might be a game room or tv room and outside into the gardens and patio. Bobby was leaning up against an archway with a drink talking to a vampire girl.

He thought my dress was an interesting choice for dinner in a vampire's lair; that I'd likely end up being dinner. My saving grace there was that I wasn't sitting at the same table as him. The dress was long and white. It had a lace bodice and was sleeveless, the delicate lace just covered my shoulders and the soft cotton draped down around my legs. I put my hair up and some tendrils had escaped. I was going to fix them, but Eric seemed fascinated by them, so I let them stay. I had little strappy sandals on my feet. With my tan, I looked like I was headed to a Southern garden party.

Eric thought I looked like vampire bait.

But he couldn't hide his reaction so I gathered I looked pretty good. When I came out of the bathroom, he looked like someone smashed him over the head with a very heavy object. When I asked him what was wrong, he shook his head and just said he had a lot to think about. That didn't sit well with me because I knew he had a lot to think about because of _me_. I was the one complicating his life.

"Eric!" greeted an exotic looking brunette vampire walking up to us with a human man. "What a surprise! We didn't know you were coming."

"Godric asked me to." Eric replied. "Sookie, this is Isabelle, Godric's second-in-command and her human companion, Hugo."

"It's nice to meet you." I smiled. Isabelle nodded at me, but I shook Hugo's hand. I was surprised at what I heard from him. He thought it pleasant to have another human around to talk to about what it was like to "date" a vampire, but mostly, his thoughts were of Isabelle and how much he loved her. He almost sounded obsessed with her. It was kind of creeping me out, so I pulled my hand away as gently as I could.

"Sookie is yours, Eric?" Isabelle asked.

"Yes." Eric ran his hand up my back and rested it on my shoulder. I had dressed because of the heat. All the doors were thrown open and the fans were on. There was a nice breeze running through the house. It wasn't quite warm enough by Southern standards to turn on the air conditioning yet (and vampires didn't need it anyway) and Eric's cold hand was a welcome addition to cooling me down a bit. Plus, my house didn't have any air conditioning in it, so I was used to it.

"Godric must be beside himself." Isabelle smiled. "He didn't think you'd ever find anyone; and if I know you, Eric, she is probably not just anyone."

"You would be right." Eric answered vaguely.

Hugo was wondering where my bite marks were; he thought maybe the inside of my thighs. I could see his peaking out from the collar of his shirt, but here I was showing off most of my upper body and there was nary a bite on me. He thought maybe I wasn't actually Eric's. Eric healed each and every bite he gave me, which I appreciated because I didn't want to look like Ginger, or some of the humans there, who looked like they had chicken pox. What happened behind my closed bedroom door was my business and if I wanted to let a vampire bite me that was nobody's concern but my own.

In scanning the humans in the room, it seemed most of them were under the same impression as Hugo was. If I didn't have any bites, then I was arm candy. When Eric was here, he was not typically seen with a woman. One girl, who belonged to a sheriff named Stan, frequently indulged in daydreams where Eric would see her at the king's house and decide _he_ wanted her. He would fight Stan, win, and take her away. It wasn't that she didn't like Stan, but she found Eric exciting and the fact that he showed little to no interest in people around him and things going on in court challenging. _Somebody_ had to gain his attention sooner or later and she dreamed it would be her. She was of the opinion that if I didn't show any marks, I wasn't truly Eric's.

Eric's arm curled around my waist and I smiled at him before returning to read the room. Short of throwing him down on the floor and going at it, I wasn't going to change any minds and at that moment and I didn't care. I was no stranger to people thinking nasty things about me.

And speaking of which, I was so absorbed in reading the minds of the humans that I didn't hear when Eric had called Bobby over to stand with us until I felt the brain slime close to me.

"Bobby will accompany them…" Eric was saying. What? Accompany who?

"I'm sorry. What did you say, Eric?" I asked shaking out the other thoughts and focusing on Eric. Bobby thought I was an airhead. I didn't _just_ hear Eric say Bobby would accompany me on a tour of Dallas given by Hugo? Was I really that stupid?

Eric, on the other hand, knew what I was preoccupied with. "Lover, Hugo offered to give you a tour of Dallas during the day. I thought you might feel more comfortable if Bobby accompanied you as well, since you know him."

Well, considering he knew I was no Bobby fan, I assumed that translated to him wanting Bobby, his weapons and these mysterious Ninja skills of his close by if I was wandering around in the daylight. "That's a wonderful idea." I beamed. Bobby disagreed. Hugo was thinking that Isabelle tasked _him_ with something important and he did not need a wingman for it.

As distasteful as a day with me was to Bobby, he was happy that Eric trusted my care with him. He thought it meant Eric had faith in his fighting skills. He wasn't sure what the big deal about me was, but clearly there was _something _and Eric wanted me protected. Maybe Pam would see how valued Eric found him and finally give him the time of day.

Just then, a vampire who looked about 17 breezed down the stairs and pushed aside the others to stand right in front of Eric and myself. He had light brown hair, a thin frame and green eyes. He looked like he just stepped off the front cover of GQ.

"Sookie!" He gushed. I had a feeling given the indulgent way the others responded to this man that it wasn't Godric. It must be Liam. "How wonderful that you are awake now! I'm sure Eric hasn't given you a tour of the house. He never thinks of these things. I work so hard on it and he never bothers to show it off, or even come home for that matter."

"Sookie, this is Liam." Eric needlessly introduced.

"It's nice to meet you." I smiled nodding my head. "You have a beautiful home. I especially loved the reflecting pool outside. Was that your idea?"

"You are _so_ sweet!" Liam's entire face lit up. "How ever did you get tangled up with grumpy Eric? We'll start the tour there." I looked wide eyed over at Eric. He kissed me on the forehead and nodded encouragingly. Liam linked his arm with mine and led me away, telling me all about how tacky the trophy room used to be.

**~Eric~**

Sookie was clearly not happy about me letting Liam drag her off for a tour, but there's really no stopping him and he's the only one I trusted with her. Everyone there has an agenda and Liam merely wanted to know everything there was to possibly know about her, which made two of us. He genuinely wanted to show her his creation and prod her for information about herself. As long as she was on Liam's arm, no one would approach her.

I knew Bobby was ecstatic at my assignment to be Sookie's bodyguard for a tour of Dallas. He didn't understand what was so special about her, and I didn't really care, but I taught him to fight myself and so I knew he was capable of defending her. Every time I talked with him, I could see that he was itching to ask me about Sookie, but Pam and I didn't confide in Bobby. A lot of vampires did utilize their daypeople as confidants but the only people I trusted were Pam and Godric, and by extension Liam. And now, of course, Sookie.

Liam's enthusiasm was contagious though as I watched him bring Sookie out to the gardens and reflecting pool. He swept his hand about, gesturing to the landscaping and she was undeniably impressed and asking questions. I watched her for a while as the water shimmered off of her dress with the moonlight and outside lighting. She was screaming vampire bait in that dress, but she looked beautiful and since I enjoy her beauty, I shut up and sucked it up.

Satisfied that she was growing comfortable enough that I didn't need to hover on the other side of the glass, I left the parlor and headed to Godric's office. I could feel him in there and the vampire guards at the door did not stop me from walking in.

When I entered and closed the door behind me, I saw that Godric was standing behind his desk on a conference call.

"So you claim her then, Niall?" He asked, motioning me forward.

"Of course I claim her, vampire. She is my great-granddaughter," snapped the Prince of the Fairies on the other end of the line.

"You have never met her though." Godric said.

"No, Fintan won't allow it. He has spent their entire life shielding them from the supernatural world. My great-grandson Jason has not shown the same abilities as Sookie has and so Fintan has been very protective of her. He has watched over them since they were babies, but Sookie especially. The vampire's presence in her life has caused great concerned."

"Eric is protecting her."

"Yes, Fintan has heard their conversations at Sookie's house. He nearly burned the bar in Shreveport down when she went inside and didn't emerge for more than 24 hours."

"Sookie would like to meet a fairy." Godric continued. "She does not believe she is part fae."

Niall was quiet on the other end for a moment. "You have told her she is part-fairy?" He asked evenly.

"Yes, I did." I replied, joining the conversation. "She has many magical qualities and did not understand what was going on and she discovers more nearly every day. It is dangerous to her and others if she does not learn how to harness these powers. And I will not lie to her. She is scared of the things she is learning and terrified of the things her body is doing. If you and your son will not tell her, then I will."

"It is up to Fintan whether or not she will meet one of us. I have always wanted to be part of their lives, but Fintan would not allow it."

Well, I was sorry to inform Fintan that there was a new sheriff in town. I would do what I needed to to protect her, but I wasn't going to keep her in a bubble either.

"Who else is in the area that she might run into?" I pressed.

"I am obviously not going to tell you that, vampire." Niall replied.

"There is a heavy fairy scent around where she works and her home. Is that Fintan?"

"It should be." Niall responded. "He has the ability to mask his scent but does not always do it. He is a little reckless like that. I will contact him. He has followed her to Texas."

The trip into Dallas was going to be put on hold until this matter was settled. If Fintan could mask his scent, than he could meet her with me there. I didn't think she'd be comfortable being approached unexpectedly. Though with Bobby and Hugo there, I imagined Fintan would keep his distance.

"I do not believe she should stay there. It is not safe for her." Niall said.

"She is safe." I assured him. "I am sworn to protect her."

"She is surrounded by vampires and part-fairy; there is no one there safe for her."

"_I_ am." I insisted. "The young ones are not familiar enough to smell her. _I_ barely recognize the scent. Only Godric knew right off."

"The word of a vampire? You have drained fairies before, sheriff. Forgive me for not finding comfort in your words. Why would I believe you?"

"Because I love her."

That shut Prince Valiant right up.

Unfortunately, now Godric was grinning at me.

"That remains to be seen, vampire." Niall said softly. "Godric, if one hair on my great-granddaughter's head is harmed, I will attack with full force and show mercy to no one."

The line went silent and when I looked over at Godric, he was smiling at me.

"What are you grinning at?" I snapped sitting down in a big leather chair. "What could you possibly find amusing?"

"I am happy for you."

"Yes, I know. It is wafting over me. I'm practically drowning in it." I tossed back. "Niall is unhappy."

"Do you see me running away with my tail between my legs? I don't care." Godric shrugged. He sat down behind the desk. "He doesn't have the forces to take me. If you are sworn to protect her; I am sworn to protect her. I don't particularly relish the thought of another fairy war, but I'm not about to let her be taken from you either."

That was comforting. I knew Godric wished I would live here by my own choice, but I did not want to be in his shadow. I rose to my position on my own and I liked the area I was in, especially more so now that I met my yummy little telepathic fairy.

"There is something else I wish to discuss with you." Godric began. I could feel his hesitation and my curiosity was piqued. "Sophie Anne has expressed her wishes to form an alliance."

"Sophie Anne LeClerq wants to marry you." I said stunned and he nodded. "Now how did I not see that coming?" I popped out of the chair and began to pace the room.

"Texas is very wealthy and Sophie Anne is running Louisiana into the ground. The mainstreaming movement has not done her any favors. It would be a strong alliance. I could certainly use you for more in Texas. It would not be without benefit to you."

"And then she'll attempt a coup."

"She would not be successful, especially without you." Godric waved his hand in dismissal.

"And what does she think an alliance will accomplish?" I challenged. "Does she think you'll just order me to hand Sookie over to her?"

"It's pretty arrogant to think that the Queen of Louisiana wants to form an alliance with the King of Texas because of your mortal." He said. "Will I never teach you dominance over your feelings?"

"Sookie is powerful, Godric." I whispered. I stopped my pacing and ran a hand down my face. "We have only just begun to discover what she can do. Who knows what Sookie's cousin has told Sophie Anne? She could have made up all sorts of things to save her own skin or curry the queen's favor."

"Calm down." He ordered. I did, only because of his influence, but I continued to pace the room.

"Let's have Sophie Anne come. If we can get her to bring the cousin, you can interrogate her yourself."

"You think she will bring Hadley?" I asked curiously.

"She will want Hadley to talk to Sookie, kin-to-kin." He said. "If I were in her shoes, it is what I would try. I would hope the cousin would have some influence with Sookie. Hadley could paint Sophie Anne in a nice light. Not to mention, Sookie will be able to read the cousin. I wouldn't think Sophie Anne wants to hurt Sookie, Eric; it's not her style."

"No, she wants to enslave her. Sophie Anne is a mistress of extortion. She will threaten Sookie with her family and friends to get what she wants. The queen is as old as you and you knew right off Sookie was fairy; and once Sophie Anne figures that out, the game changes."

"The negotiations for something like this are extensive and detailed. I've seen them go on for decades."

"You're _considering_ this?" I couldn't believe it. Godric has never shown any interest in an alliance with another kingdom; he's never decided to take over a struggling kingdom. "Liam will have a meltdown."

"Liam understands these things." He countered. "Unlike _you_ it seems."

"I understand the way these things are done." I snapped.

"So long as they are not done with _your_ maker."

"Exactly." I said heatedly. "They are steeped in betrayal. I would not want to see you as a target of that."

"Eric, I have not gotten as far as I have and lived as long as I have by being stupid. I would think this would be appealing to you. Surely, your loyalties would not be so divided anymore if Louisiana and Texas aligned."

"When asked to make the choice, Godric, there isn't one." I said quietly.

"It is good to hear that. Now I am sure by now Liam has talked Sookie's ear off and I would like to officially meet the girl I am going to such great lengths to protect."

"She is worth it, sire."

"Of that, I have no doubt, my child."


	11. Chapter 11

**11.**

**A/N: It's a little fluffy, but I was in the mood for fluff, before the time comes when Sookie sees a different side of her man… **

**~Sookie~**

"These flowers are beautiful," I sighed as we entered an expansive glass solarium. They must have spent a fortune on a room like this, between the plants and the lighting that perfectly accentuated them without causing too much glow to miss the stars above.

"This is my favorite part of the house." Liam smiled. "These are all flowers that bloom only at night and close up during the day. There are Evening Primrose, Moon Flowers, Night Bloom Water Lilies, Casablanca Lilies, along with a half-dozen others. No one is allowed in here but the king, myself, and the prince, of course."

"The prince?"

"Eric."

"He said he isn't considered a prince!" I exclaimed.

"He isn't, technically, at least he isn't recognized as one by the Authority. That is my pet name for him." Liam smiled mischievously. "But he was one in his human life and the way he flits in and causes destruction and mayhem and then leaves without a care in the world…well, if you've ever met a real prince, you'd recognize Eric immediately for one. Not to mention, Eric _always_ seems to get his way in the end."

"He's very creative." I murmured in agreement.

"That's one word for him." Liam muttered in return.

I liked Liam. He was very vibrant and I felt like I had his full attention. No one approached us during the duration of the tour and I was grateful for that. It gave me the chance to get the lay of the land and get semi-comfortable in my surroundings without the pressure of making small talk. He did introduce me to the human staff, who were all very indulgent and accommodating. I wasn't used to people serving me and it was hard to adjust to. No one knew what I did; no one knew what I was; they knew only that I was Eric's human. I could be an heiress or I could be a waitress, it didn't make a bit of difference.

I was dying to know Liam's story, but I didn't know if it was considered vampire-polite to ask that kind of thing. I didn't know how old he was or where he was from. He sounded like he was from this country, but then again, Eric usually did too.

"I think I'm going to make a dayroom." Liam continued. "Sophie Anne has one. It would be the size of this, but the lighting simulates sunlight so closely, you'd swear you were standing outside in broad daylight. She has a pool. I don't know if I'd want a pool. What do you think?"

"Pools can be fun." I stumbled on my words. I wasn't expecting to hear the Louisiana queen's name.

"I could put plenty of day lilies in there. It would be a nice compliment, don't you think?"

"Whatever you put your mind to, dearest, turns out beautiful."

I jumped at the new voice behind us. Liam didn't seem surprised at all. When I turned, Eric was standing there with another vampire that didn't look more than 16 or 17. I knew right away it was Godric. If the energy surrounding Eric and Liam wasn't enough, the fact that Liam had listed him as one of the only other ones allowed in that room would have tipped me off.

"Eric, please bring Sookie back, and often." Liam beamed. "Godric, Eric's Sookie is absolutely delightful. She has the perfect temperament for the prince." I caught Eric rolling his eyes.

"Godric, as you know, this is Sookie Stackhouse." Eric said, moving to my side and extricating me from Liam's side. "Sookie, this is Godric, the King of Texas and my maker."

"It's very nice to meet you." I smiled. Everyone seemed to be looking at me. I turned and whispered to Eric, "Am I supposed to bow or something?"

"You are doing fine." He smiled and kissed my temple.

"Miss Stackhouse," Godric finally spoke to me. "You don't know how long I have been waiting to meet you. You have caused quite a bit of…excitement."

"I'm sorry; I've been disruptive."

"According to Eric, that is hardly your fault." I refrained from demanding what he was going to do about it.

"You have a beautiful home."

"It keeps Liam busy. He's always changing something."

"No matter when we come back, lover, I promise you, it will be very different." Eric replied, running his hand along my back in an effort to calm me down. "We are creatures that rarely change and so Liam tends to change everything around him to compensate."

"Oh I see. It's pick on the young one time. See if I let you in the dayroom, Eric." Liam huffed.

"Let's sit." Godric offered. He waved his hand to a small table intimately set behind us. "We vampires can stand here for hours and not get tired. I would have Ms. Stackhouse comfortable."

The small table was elegantly set with candles and white linens. There was only one spot that had a full place setting at it and I was suddenly self-conscious that they would be watching me eat. But there were other settings of crystal bowls and goblets.

Two humans all but popped out of the plant life. One served the vampires blood and myself an ice water, while the other asked if I liked seafood. They seemed satisfied when I said yes.

I began to feel more relaxed about being the only one eating when I saw that there are apparently likewise various courses of blood. I don't know what changes about it, but they did switch from bowls to goblets through my meal. Things changing at the table made me more relaxed. The appetizer for me was, according to Liam, fennel-crusted big eye tuna, "smoked" Fingerling potato coins with Nicoise olive vinaigrette. This was followed by Chipotle seared diver scallops with Jack cheese-yellow grits and a spicy smoked tomato butter. It was, of course, amazing, if not a little more fancy than I was used to. I didn't know what half those words meant.

"Sookie, I understand from Eric that you are very talented." Godric said and I nearly choked on my water.

"Eric seems to think so." I replied. "But this so-called talent has always been a hindrance to me growing up. People didn't understand it and didn't want to be around me because they were afraid. _I_ didn't understand it and I didn't know how to control it. It is still very difficult for me to channel."

"Does it run in your family?" He asked. "The telepathy?"

I realized Eric must have told him about everything for him to be specific to the telepathy. I wasn't surprised. I was hoping a vampire as old as Godric had encountered someone like me before.

"My gran said that my grandfather had it." I replied and I noticed that Eric and Godric glanced at each other. "I'm not sure if anybody else had it before him."

"And your cousin is Queen Sophie Anne's human. Is she related on your mother or father's side?" Godric continued his line of questioning.

"My father's."

"What happened to your parents, if you don't mind my asking."

"They were driving home and their car broke down on a bridge and there was a flash flood and it killed them. Jason and I were real young then and we went to live with my gran. She raised us."

"And has Hadley or Jason ever shown signs of being magical like you?"

"No. No, not that I know." I squirmed a bit. It was still new to me to even discuss the telepathy out loud and with anybody who didn't get uncomfortable about it, much less these new powers or whatever that seemed to have emerged since I met Eric.

"I'm sorry to ask so many questions, Sookie." Godric smiled. "I'm just trying to learn more about your family so that we can better idea of what is happening with you."

"I understand." I nodded quietly. "I apologize. I'm not used to being the center of attention and I've spent my whole life trying to blend in and be like everyone else that I tend to get uncomfortable when I'm the subject of discussion."

"Sweetheart, you will never blend in in this world and you were not meant to." Liam piped up.

"Liam." Godric gave him a pointed look and Liam fell silent. "I have been in contact with the fairies tonight, Sookie. I think they will meet with you. I think they have to at this point. But it may take a day or two to make arrangements. Eric does not want you to go alone and vampires are deadly to fairies. The fairy that I believe you will meet with can mask his scent, but still it is precarious. You will be safe though. The fairies do not want to hurt you either."

"Does the Queen of Louisiana?" I whispered.

"I don't believe so, no." Godric replied. "Sookie, telepaths are very rare. You are a huge asset to any kingdom for that alone. But a telepath with fairy power? That is like striking gold. It's the brass ring, if you will. I know you don't understand our ways, but any vampire monarch would attempt to do what Sophie Anne has tried and she really is not that bad, she can be reasonable."

Eric looked sharply up at Godric. His hand slid over mine in my lap. "It's not what she wants, sire. She wants to be left alone."

"I understand that, my child. But she will not be. However, there must be a compromise that can be reached. Maybe the answer is with the fae. We might be able to use that as leverage. The point is, Sookie, we can keep you safe, but you will not be left alone."

I sighed heavily and nodded. "I guess I knew that. I just don't understand why there is this sudden interest in me. Everything has happened at once. I've always been telepathic, but all this other stuff started when Eric showed up. I've never dreamed about anything that was really happening and I've never shocked anybody and everyone always stayed _away_ from me. I may not have been living life in the fast lane, but it was my life and I liked it."

There were a few moments of silence around the table before Liam spoke. "I don't think it could be Eric specific, could it?" He mused.

"Hopefully the fairies will have more answers." Godric said.

What Liam said got me thinking though. I think it _was _Eric specific but not necessarily for any magical qualities we might possess together. The shocks and light show came when I was sexually aroused. So, in my opinion, and I had nothing really to base this on since I had very limited knowledge of fairies, was that might happen no matter who my sexual partner was. However, I couldn't explain why I dreamed of what Eric was doing when he wasn't with me. That was a connection I could not explain.

"Sookie?" I shook loose of my thought. Eric was calling my name and by the look on his face, he had called me more than once.

"I'm sorry. Were you saying something?"

"You looked lost in thought."

"I've been given a lot to think about."

"I know the feeling." He said with a slight smile. He stood up and held out his hand to me. I put my hand in his and rose with him. "Sire, if you don't mind, I'd like to…"

"Take Sookie upstairs and hide in your bedroom the rest of the night?" Liam jumped in. "I think we understand that, right, Godric?"

God bless that obnoxious little vampire.

"It was nice getting to know you, Sookie." Godric smiled. "Rest well."

"Thank you."

Eric wasted no time tugging me out of the solarium and through the house. There were still people milling about, but he ignored them. Unfortunately, I could not ignore their lewd thoughts as Eric dragged me upstairs. They assumed we were going upstairs to have sex and I highly doubted they were far off the mark.

However, Eric surprised me when we got to our room. He tossed me a sweater and then led me out onto the balcony. It was peaceful out there. The balcony was actually the size of a patio, with seating and more of Liam's night-blooming plants. Eric lived quite the pampered life when he was here, I thought.

"Come here." He said, walking over to a chair that was up against the house. He stepped up onto it and then offered me his hand again.

"We're going to scale the side of the house?"

"Something like that." He smiled back. "You're not afraid of heights, are you?"

"No." I scowled at him and popped up onto the chair. The roof actually wasn't that high up from where we were and he easily boosted me up. He swept me up and carried me further up. It was pitch black up here and we had only the light from the moon and stars to see – well, _I_ had limited light. Eric could see in the dark.

When he found a spot he liked, he sat down and gestured to me to sit in front of him.

I settled down between Eric's legs and leaned back against his chest. "This is nice. It's quiet up here." I sighed.

"Look up, lover." He whispered. When I did, I gasped. It was the clearest night sky I had seen in a very long time. The black night looked littered with diamonds. I leaned my head back on his shoulder to support my neck as I craned up to see everything he began pointing out. I felt him cross his legs underneath my knees. "There is Cassiopeia, the Queen; Cepheus, the King; Virgo, the Maiden; Hercules, the Hero; Orion, the Hunter."

"All the players in our game."

"All live together in peace in the heavens."

"Do you know all of them?"

"There's Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Big and Little Bears; Aquila, the Eagle."

"Who else?" I smiled.

"Perseus and Andromeda."

"And what is their story?" I asked as he slid his hands to my stomach and linked his fingers.

"Andromeda was the daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus. She was very beautiful. The Queen bragged that she was more beautiful than the goddesses. The goddesses were naturally insulted and went to Neptune, the god of the sea. In retaliation, Neptune ordered Cassiopeia and Cepheus to sacrifice their daughter to a sea monster and she was chained to a rocky shore."

"That's awful!"

"Well, it would have been, but for Perseus, the son of Jupiter and Danae. He happened to be passing by and saw the beautiful maiden chained to a rock. He fell in love with her at first sight. As legend has it, he was so stunned by her beauty he nearly fell in the ocean. He caught himself at the last moment and called out to her, 'You should not be wearing chains such as these; the proper bonds for you are those which bind the hearts of fond lovers.' Andromeda, being raised right would not speak to a man. She began to cry. Perseus slayed the sea serpent and then he married the princess."

"What was he doing in the sea? Was he in a boat?"

"No, he had just killed Medusa and he was returning home. Perseus could fly."

"Men will do virtually anything not to deal with a crying woman."

"That, dear one, is the God's honest truth." He chuckled into my ear.

I looked back up into the sky at the princess and her warrior. They were near the king and the queen. I had to hand it to Perseus; I'm not sure I'd want to spend eternity living that close to my in-laws. The stars seemed more beautiful when you knew their story. I found myself longing to become part of them.

Which was precisely when I realized I _was _becoming part of them.

We were no longer sitting on the roof. In fact, when I looked down, I couldn't even _see_ the roof. All I saw was inky black. Somewhere in Eric's story, he had levitated us up. Of course, I instantly freaked out. I clutched his forearms, yelped and slammed my eyes shut.

"We've been up here for quite some time, lover; suddenly, you think I'm going to drop you?" He kissed my neck, then whispered, "Open your eyes." I did, but my breath was coming in ragged gasps. We were _really_ high up there. Slowly, he lifted my arms straight out. He slid our fingers together and we turned in a slow circle. All around us were stars.

I don't know how long we were up there for. We stayed there until I shivered with the temperature drop. I was sure Eric was used to flying a lot faster, but he took his time, no doubt in deference to me. The bedroom was dimly lit. I was happy to see that big comfy bed again, but reluctant to end the most perfect moment of my life. Not only had I been a part of something miraculous, but I also realized I was head over heels in love with Eric.


	12. Chapter 12

**12.**

**A/N: So, are y'all freaking out over the Season 4 teaser with Eric wandering in the woods? I was stoked! And Liam is based on a friend of mine who's exactly like him only not a vampire…though he and his boyfriend dressed up like Lestat and Louis for a Disney cruise and were dead ringers! People were asking if they could get pictures of them biting them. There's a hilarious one of them mauling a Tinkerbell.**

**~Eric~**

"Eric?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I'd make a good vampire?"

Fuck, really? I was hoping to delay this particular conversation indefinitely. Sookie lifted her head and propped her chin on my bare chest. Her eyes were smokey blue with arousal, her hair was disheveled, her lips were swollen from lots and lots of kissing. Vampires just didn't get that way after sex.

"Why do you ask?" Not much of a delay tactic I'll grant you, but the best I've got at the moment.

"The humans at your bar and the ones downstairs that were here tonight, that's what they think about. It's what they want more than anything. All of them think they'd make great vampires. They'll be immortal, they'll be fearless -"

"Sookie, do you think I'm fearless?"

"I think you have a lot of courage."

"'Courage is not the absence of fear; but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.' Do you think I'm fearless?"

"I'm thinking the answer here is no."

"Vampires feel fear. We feel pain, we feel loneliness, we feel despair, we feel happiness and we can feel love. And we'll go centuries without feeling anything at all. But that is not why people seek us out, Sookie. We are dangerous. Not all of us have control I have shown you and not all of us thought coming out was such a good idea."

"You don't strike me as someone that's afraid of anything." She smiled. She propped her chin on one hand and idly trailed a finger around my chest with the other.

"I am." I said simply. I feared many things and they all had to do with the beautiful creature naked in my bed. We shifted our position and faced each other on our sides. I slid my hand to her lower back and pulled her closer.

"You didn't answer my question."

"If I think you'd make a good vampire?" I replied. She nodded. "I think you'd adapt like the rest of us. But you, my lover, are not meant for this life. It's too dark for you." I watched her face fall a bit and I realized there was an underlying question there. "That's not to say you don't tempt me to turn you, to keep you. I think at this point, you tempt me more than Pam did."

"Would you do it in order to save my life?"

"I would do anything in order to save your life." I said very seriously. "And my definition of anything is guaranteed to be very different from yours."

"Why do you keep trying to scare me?"

"I don't want to scare you. I want to prepare you."

"Isn't that what the second blood exchange was for?"

I smiled and ran my hand up and down her bare back. I felt her coursing through me; stronger than before but not stronger than I wanted it to be. I felt her contentment, which left me with a similar feeling of peace. I liked that she calmed me. I had a center again. I felt like I could be grounded to one spot or one person. But I wanted more. I wanted her to _feel_ the love I had for her when I told her the words. I wanted her to feel me like I felt her. She could not do that yet. I wanted to give her strength and courage and contentment when she needed it.

"That's part of it. Too little knowledge of our world can be just as dangerous as too much knowledge of it. I need to know that when we're separated, you have the tools you need to defend yourself and if you can't, I can track you. I can find you and get to you if you're in trouble."

"You make it sound like it's inevitable."

"It's one of the things I fear, at the very least."

She curled into me and rested her head on my outstretched arm. I responded by kissing her forehead. "Is that why you want that full blood bond?"

"That's only one of the many reasons, lover." I smiled. "I _like_ feeling you. I like feeling when you wake up or drift off to sleep. I like feeling your excitement and your passion and I want you to feel mine."

"Oh, I can feel it." She laughed. I rolled over and pinned her beneath me. She yelped and squirmed as I playfully nipped at her neck.

"That was a very nice reaction. Do that again."

She slapped at my shoulders and I shifted most of my weight off her again. If I had my way, I'd spend much of my time awake on top of Sookie. It was difficult to determine the root of this addiction I was forming to her. Was it the fairy blood or was it just _her_?

"Now stop toying with me." She ordered, the tone of her voice dropping to a very serious level that I couldn't recall having heard from her yet. "What's the downside of a full blood bond?"

"That a dangerous and ruthless vampire will _always_ know where you are, Sookie; will _always_ be able to feel you and to find you no matter where in the world you try to hide." I said just as seriously. "You will have no secrets from me. If you are angry I will know it; if you are happy, I will know it. If you feel anything for someone else, I will know it." And it better not be for another man or he'll be a dead one.

"But I'll know it for you, too, right?"

"Yes."

"I'll know when you're holding something back from me?"

"Yes," I grudgingly admitted.

"_I'll_ know when you feel something for somebody else?"

"That's not likely to happen, but yes."

"And _I'll_ be able to find _you_?" This one gave me pause, even though I knew it was coming given her identical line of questioning. Did I want her to find me if I was in trouble? Did I want her in that kind of danger? The answer was no, obviously not.

"I can't say that you would be able to track me the way I could you because your senses are too human, but yes, you would know when I was near."

"How is the bond broken?"

"If it is not renewed and kept strong, it could fade a bit over time, but it would never be gone. Only one of our deaths can truly sever it. And if one of us dies, Sookie, the other will feel that pain. The other would feel the void so keenly, it could drive them mad."

She stared at me for a long moment as she processed that last bit of information. "Boy you're _really_ not selling this, Eric." I rolled my eyes and dropped down next to her, gathering her close to me. "That's a helluva downside."

"There's a hell of an upside too." I countered.

"You want this?"

More than I've wanted anything in recent memory. But I didn't say that. It was not my goal to make her feel cornered into it. Again, I wanted her to be bonded to me because she _wanted _to be.

"Yes." I said simply.

"Then I'll think about it." She kissed each of my cheeks lightly, my forehead and then curled down into my chest.

That's it? She'll _think_ about it? Then again, did I really expect her to just agree to it? Truth be told, I was actually beginning to _like_ that she didn't just do want I wanted; that I didn't always get my way, I had to work for it, _earn_ it. And I would do that. I could earn that gift.

I stayed with her long after her breathing evened out and I knew she slept and eventually I went back downstairs and found Liam and Godric in the t.v. room. They were alone. Liam was on the couch and Godric was at the antique cherry secretary's desk on a laptop.

"Anything good on?" I asked joining Liam on the couch.

"Nan Flanagan having a battle of wits with an unarmed man." He responded.

"Who's her victim this week?"

"Steve Newlin." Liam replied with disgust. "I wish they'd let _me_ debate him. A vampire _and_ gay!"

"It wouldn't be that long of a debate, dearest, you'd rip his throat out in the first five minutes." Godric said from his spot at the desk.

"Literally _and_ figuratively." Liam grinned wickedly. "I'd like to see Nan clean up after _that_ one."

"You wouldn't do the mainstreaming movement any favors." I put in.

"But I would be notorious among our kind."

"You already are." Godric and I replied together.

"The Fellowship is getting stronger. They are growing very quickly, especially here in Texas. They are forming a special division of their more elite members and training them in combat. They're targeting vampire sympathizers." Godric said.

"This is not news to me." I replied.

"Sookie would be a good target."

"Yes, I know." I agreed, running a hand down my face. "She's in the center of everything right now."

"Are you sure she's what you want?" He asked quietly. I snapped my gaze up to his and looked at him sharply. He was, of course, nonplussed by my menacing glare. "You will always be fighting."

"Not her."

"No," he smiled. "Do you even argue?"

"We spar. She's very sassy." I smirked looking back to the television. Nan is, of course, not in the same studio as Steve Newlin. There are certain adversaries that she will sit at the same table with. Steve Newlin isn't one of them.

"There's nothing wrong with a little sass." Liam offered.

"Or a lot of it." Godric muttered and I smiled.

"I like sassy." Liam shrugged. "What does Pam think of her?"

"I'm not sure she knows what to think." I answered honestly. "I can feel her curiosity and support, but she is wary."

"I cannot blame her for that." Godric said with a nod. "Your reaction to Sookie, Eric, is extremely unlike you. You orbit around her like she has become the center of everything." I opened my mouth to object or defend myself, I wasn't sure which, but Godric held up a hand to let him continue. "I am not saying anything bad. But you will have to admit that for those of us that have known you as long as we have and as well as we do, this is a little jarring."

"Then you can imagine how downright stunning it is for me." I countered. "You and Pam may be able to _feel_ me, but you are not in my brain. From the very second I saw her, I wanted to defend her. I felt I was meant to be her protector. I find myself doing things and saying things that I never would have before. She sees the things I do in a dream and it makes me want to be a better person for her, and I know I can't be that person."

"She wouldn't like a changed person anyway, Eric." Liam supplied.

"She might the first time she sees me kill somebody. I can't keep that from her. I can't hide, nor fight, my true nature."

"And so again, I ask you if she's what you want." Godric repeated.

"More than I've wanted anything ever."

"Look," Liam gushed, pointing to his face where a blood tear ran from his eye. "You bring a tear to my eye."

I rolled my eyes over to my maker who merely looked bemused. I could feel how much Godric loved Liam, but he really was an unlikely choice for my maker; just as Sookie was an unlikely choice for me.

"Eric, have you considered daytime protection for Sookie?" Godric asked, rising from his chair.

"At the moment, I've assigned Bobby Burnham to that task." Who's not the least bit happy about it; I could care less about his happiness as long as he effectively does his job and if he doesn't…

"I think you should consider hiring Quinn."

"The Weretiger? He's too much of an asshole for Sookie."

"He is not more of an asshole than Bobby Burnham." Liam scoffed. "_No one_ is more of an asshole than Bobby."

"Bobby has weapons and you've trained him to fight, but can he beat a Were?" Godric asked.

"With a gun? Yes."

"And if he's disarmed?"

I _really_ didn't like Quinn and I wasn't sure Sookie would like someone hanging around watching her every move all day either. But I couldn't deny that Quinn would be a great protector. Plus, he was infamous in the supernatural world. When word alone spread that he was her bodyguard that would ward off a few attackers.

"What about the fairy? She's got a fairy watching her."

"I have heard from Niall. You will take Sookie tomorrow night and meet Fintan at the ticket booth of the State Fair. He is _unhappy_ about being exposed to her. He did not want her a part of the supernatural world."

"Well, he slipped up somewhere because she got on our radar. If I hadn't gotten to her first she'd be stuck in New Orleans at Sophie Anne's and _then_ what was he going to do?"

"Fintan can be just as dangerous as Niall, Eric."

"Yes, I remember."

"And speaking of Sophie Anne, her contingent will be here at the end of week." Godric announced.

"Ugh, she's such a bitch." Liam muttered. "I'm supposed to be nice to _her_? I should fill her bed with needles."

"I thought you said Liam was going to be mature about all this?" I smirked.

"He will." Godric said. "When she gets here."

"I don't know why anyone thought I'd be mature about _my mate_ in negotiations to marry a bitchy, spoiled little girl." Liam muttered and Godric rolled his eyes. That was his problem; not mine.

"Does the contingent include Hadley and Bill Compton?"

"I believe it does."

"Bill's not going to be happy to see me."

"Neither is Sophie Anne."

"She knows you are my maker. If he has a problem with my position in her court, she'll need to take it up with the Authority, which she won't do. I have too much dirt on her." Not the least of which includes advocating the selling of vampire blood for her own profit, something I punish humans greatly for.

"You will stay out of the negotiations completely." Godric ordered and I could feel it was an _order_. "You will need to remain neutral. Everyone will be sensitive to your loyalties in this situation and I will not have them called into question, especially if the negotiations escalate to submission to the Authority."

"At which point I will vomit." Liam mumbled. "Actually vomit. All over the place. Possibly all over _her_."

Godric continued to ignore Liam's belligerence, but I didn't. I chuckled in response and Godric glared at me. Liam was going to be quite the handful for my maker over the next few days. I had no doubt he would rise to the occasion and hold his head high when the Louisiana delegation arrived, but between now and then, it looked like it was going to be ugly.

"Back to my original point," Godric said. "These are all the reasons why I think you should hire Quinn. I will bring him here."

"I can summon him myself. He'll come." I replied. I had a nasty reputation of my own and it inspired enough fear that Quinn wouldn't dare not show up when I called. Meeting him at a compound where there will be two vampire monarchs would go a long way in the intimidation department, but whether I met him here or in my office at Fangtasia, I would not need Godric to summon him.

Sookie's blood curdling scream ended the conversation. The three of us shot upstairs to the bedroom. Bobby was already there with a gun drawn, checking the bathroom, under the bed, out on the balcony. The problem was a nightmare though, as Sookie was thrashing in the bed, eyes closed, arms flailing. I was gentle with my grasp of her arms but firm in my voice.

"Sookie, wake up! Wake up!"

Her eyes flew open and were wild as she looked frantically around the room, almost for a means to escape. She felt trapped and was disoriented.

"Take deep breaths, lover." I said calmly as she registered my presence. "It was a dream."

"God, it was so real." She whispered breathless. Yes, that's what I was afraid of.

"My God, Sookie," Liam said pressing his hand to his chest. "If we could have heart attacks, you would have just given all three of us one."

"I'm sorry," she said sitting up. She clutched the sheet to her chest, which was a good thing because she was stark naked under there. I didn't want to have to cut Bobby's eyes out. Godric caught Bobby's attention and nodded him out of the room. Sookie glared at him and I wondered briefly what he thought that she found so offensive. Godric and Liam discreetly left next.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" I asked, smoothing her hair back.

"I don't remember much." She shook her head. "We were in a basement, some kind of store room, covered in blood. It doesn't matter; it wasn't real."

"Can I do anything for you?" I couldn't slay the dragons in her dreams, but I could and would in her reality.

"Can I have some water?"

"Of course, my love." I was to the bathroom and back instantaneously and she downed the whole glass and put it on the bedside table. "Lay back down." I stretched back next to her and stroked her hair. It took her a while to fall back asleep. While I waited, I thought of what little of her dream she told me. She seemed to dream of me in real time, so could I be confident that we _wouldn't_ end up in a store room covered with blood? How would we have gotten there? If I wasn't in chains then I found it unlikely I would have been captured.

Godric hadn't told me anything tonight that I hadn't already thought of. I wasn't wild about Quinn and I was sure that Sookie would be even less so. However, she did place herself under my protection and I did make her a promise. She didn't ask how protection would be accomplished and she would probably have a hairy fit if she found out what Quinn's going rate was. He didn't come cheap. Not that I cared, I was sitting on a fortune and if I wasn't, I was the only child of a monarch. She was worth any price. Though I was pretty sure she was going to hate the idea.


	13. Chapter 13

13.

**A/N: There's a nice chunk lifted right out of the 7****th**** book in this one.**

**~Sookie~**

"You've got to be kidding me, Eric." Really? A bodyguard? Sam was going to freak when this guy followed me to work. _Jason_ was going to have puppies. He had a hard enough time with Eric; now there's going to be some other guy hanging around?

"Quinn is excellent." Eric shrugged as we drove to the State Fair. I was going to meet this fairy Fintan, my supposed grandfather. And though the whole thing was my idea, I was nervous as hell. "He is feared and respected in the Were world."

"The what world?"

"The Weres and shifters. They are two-natured humans that can transform, usually only at the full moon, into an animal. Most can only shift into one form and their name comes from their animal form; werewolf, weretiger, werepanter, werefox. The Werewolves are the only ones that allow themselves to be called 'Weres.' It's pretty stupid and vampires frankly lump them all together. Full shifters can change into anything they want."

"In my dream, you called Sam a shifter. Is that what he is?" I asked quickly.

"I gave him my word that he would be the one to explain himself to you, Sookie." Eric replied. "Even my word given to a…lesser creature, I don't take lightly."

"So what is this Quinn?"

"A tiger."

"Wow." I breathed.

I was dying to know what Sam could do. I was almost tempted to call him and ask. I spoke with Jason earlier that day. He was pretty down. The police had no new leads. The only thing that seemed to be looking up for him was that he seemed to be really into this new girl Amy he was dating. He met her at Fangtasia of all places. I had no idea what Jason was doing there. Maybe he went to go check it out on my behalf.

I also found out from Eric that Pam had started overseeing that project of his for the light-tight hidden room at my house. Jason had promised to go over to the house to check up on it for me. Eric wasn't amused that I had taken to calling it the vampire hidey-hole.

"So I guess he's a pretty strong tiger." I laughed nervously.

"He is a strong fighter and he will kill if he has to. That's all that's important to me." Eric shrugged.

Quinn would be arriving the same day Sophie Anne and her retinue did. Eric seemed to think that not only would Hadley be accompanying the queen, but so would Bill Compton. I wasn't afraid of them though. I didn't think any of them would dare try anything sketchy in Godric's home or his territory. I was looking forward to seeing my cousin again. It had been years since I saw her last. I honestly thought she was lost to us, and I guess to Jason she still was.

Eric seemed overly concerned with driving. Having driven with him before, I knew that he didn't really need to pay that close attention to the road since he operated mainly by instinct. So his mind must have been on something else.

I turned in my seat and reached for his hand. "Are you worried about this meeting with Fintan? Will it be difficult for you to be around him?"

"It shouldn't be too hard if he masks his scent, lover." He raised my hand to his lips, but didn't take his eyes from the road. "And he'd be an idiot not to." I brought our hands back to me and held them to my chest. "You are more nervous than you need to be though. I promise he will not hurt you."

"I don't think I'm worried about that." I replied. "We'll be in a public place. I think…well, I've never had a big family and now I'm going to meet someone that didn't want me. He doesn't want to meet me; he never did."

"We could turn around." Eric offered as we pulled into the parking lot. "We can go back. I would not have him upset you. _You_ wanted to meet him, my lover. I will happily take you home." He swung into a spot and let go of my hand to put the car in park. When he killed the ignition, he looked over to me and I knew he meant it. I knew he would just as soon not make me do something I didn't want to. There were too many things he didn't have control over in that regard, so this one would be easy for him.

"He's probably already here." I smiled softly in return.

"He is; he's right there." Eric pointed out the windshield and I gasped when I turned and saw the man waiting for us. He looked almost exactly like Jason, only a little older and his hair was a little darker. He was much younger than I expected him to be. I expected an old man, but this person could pass as my older brother.

"Fairies age very slowly." Eric said, as if he could read my mind. "If memory serves me right, Fintan is about 700 years old and has a twin brother."

"Oh my God." I breathed. I fumbled for the door handle, but Eric was out of the car and around my side like lightning, offering his hand to help me out. Corvettes were not the easiest vehicles to get in and out of.

There were many humans in the area coming and going from the State Fair. The women were particularly attracted to Fintan. They thought he was beautiful and they wondered who he was waiting for. Fintan, unfortunately, seemed to think in another language. I could hear him, but I couldn't understand him.

Eric held onto me as we approached. I continued to gape like a fish.

"It is good to see that you are well, child." Fintan said with a nod at me. He didn't sound like Jason. He sounded much more educated and proper and he sounded like he was from another world. He looked up at Eric with distaste. "You can leave us, vampire."

"Not a chance." Eric hissed.

Fintan looked back at me. He wore his hair a little longer than Jason. It covered his ears, which Eric told me were pointy on the tops. I wondered if he would show me. He turned and walked over to a bench that was out of the line of human traffic and I'm sure out of earshot. I sat in the middle of Fintan and Eric, who looked bored to the casual observer, but to me, he looked very tense. I wondered how much restraint he was employing now not to attack my grandfather.

"So it's true then." I opened. "I am part-fairy."

"Yes, child." Fintan nodded.

"But _how_?"

Fintan arched an eyebrow at me and then looked over at Eric. "Unfortunately, I'm sure you understand the _how_ part." He obviously didn't approve of his granddaughter dating a vampire. Well, he could take his disapproval and shove it where the sun didn't shine. He gave up his right to an opinion, as far as I was concerned.

"_Who_?" I asked.

"Your grandmother Adele, of course."

My eyes widened in shock. "_Gran_? Gran loved my grandfather. That's impossible."

"She loved him very much, but she wanted children and he could not give them to her. She was a very beautiful woman, enchanting. You resemble her when she was your age."

"Did she know what you are?"

"Yes, she did. I would have kept her, but she loved your grandfather and I think she was afraid of my world. So I watched over my children and grandchildren instead and I did not interfere with them directly."

"Directly?"

"Sookie, my dear one, I have watched over you your entire life. I have saved you from unspeakable things. This is not the first time you were brought to the attention of the supernatural world." Eric looked at him sharply. That, I think, he was unhappy to hear. "Unfortunately, I could not be everywhere at once and I was not able to save Corbett from the water in time and I was not able to save _you_ from Bartlet."

I felt the blood drain out of my face at the mention of my abusive uncle's name. I had tried not to think about him. I certainly hadn't told Eric about him.

"Who is Bartlet and what did he do?" Eric seethed softly next to me, having I'm sure felt my reaction.

"Now is not the time for that." I replied, my voice was shaky and my hands started to tremble.

"He hurt you?"

"Yes." I said swiping at a falling tear.

"He lives?"

"Yes." I replied.

Eric went rigid next to me as he was probably drawing his own conclusions about my evil uncle. Unfortunately, the conclusions he was drawing were probably the correct ones.

"You should not have told him that, child." Fintan shook his head.

"_You_ brought him up." I replied. And I wanted to move away from that topic as quickly as possible. "Do you have telepathy?"

"That is not fae. It is from your mother's side of the family. It was only one of two times that I spoke with Adele again. Neither Linda, Corbett, Jason nor Hadley have exhibited any signs of fae, other than their attractive qualities, but you, dear Sookie, just light up. You always have. You have always been special, you have always been the one I watched the most and the one I feared the most for."

"Hadley and Jason could really use your help right now." I said evenly.

"Jason's trouble is with the human law, not with the supernatural world. If it escalates to a point where I need to intervene to save his life, I will. Hadley is beyond my help. She has chosen a life in a place I cannot go, as I fear you are now. The vampire world is _not_ safe for fairies, dear one."

"_Eric_ has been the safest person _for_ me! He's the only one that would tell me anything. You would have been happy to keep me in the dark, leaving me to guess about all these crazy things I can do."

"No, that would not have been possible for much longer, Sookie. I can teach you to evade the other supernatural creatures, but the telepathy sets you apart from all the others. I don't know that it could ever really be a secret. There are too many that know already."

"And I have already sworn to protect her." Eric hissed vehemently.

"It may very well be _you_ that kills her, vampire!" Fintan shot back. "How much of her blood have you already taken?"

"All right. Back to your corners." I jumped in and placed a hand on both their chests. I was surprised by the warmth and glow that outlined my hands where I touched them. Eric laid his hand on top of mine and Fintan arched his eyebrow.

"Do you see, child? Do you see what is inside you? This light you carry cannot survive in a dark world. The vampires will take it from you."

"Over my dead body." Eric vowed.

"And if that comes to pass? Who will help her if you are killed, vampire?" My grandfather challenged and I felt fear roll through me. If something happened to Eric, I would be very much exposed, just as I apparently was when he came to find me.

"Have you given up on her then, fairy, like you did Hadley?"

"I have watched over her for 25 years. I know why she has each scar on her body. I saw her learn to walk. I saw her discover flowers for the first time. I was there the first time she got kissed." Okay, that was real embarrassing because that didn't end well. That guy was a jerk. "I saw her graduate from high school. I watched her cry when the other children wouldn't play with her. I am not about to give up on her because she has had the misfortune to meet _you_ and you would do well to remember that. _She_ is special and as long as she lives, I will be near."

The air surrounding us was very tense and I was suddenly scared I would not be able to keep these two strong and overpowering men from tearing each other to shreds. "It would upset me a great deal if you two hurt each other." I whispered.

"I have no interest in disappointing you that way, lover." Eric said rising off the bench. "My tolerance for the fairy's presence has diminished. Take your time, my beauty. I will be at the car...watching very closely." Fintan gave him a withering glance as I watched him walk away. I missed his presence and I wondered if he felt that.

"You have a soft heart and thick skin, dear one." Fintan said. He reached out and trailed his fingers down my cheek. "I hope the vampire can deliver on the promises he made to you because you are in great danger."

"Is this the last time I'm going to see you?" I cursed the tears welling in my eyes. I had only had a short time with him, and he was pretty angry during that time, but he was my grandfather and I wanted to know him. I wanted to see his ears for one thing.

"No, child. Now that you have met me, I will not keep my distance from you. But you must not reveal my existence to your brother and cousin, especially your cousin. We will meet again and I will help you channel the light inside you. In the meantime, be very careful. If something happens to you at the vampires' hands, Niall will go to war. He loves you and he has not been happy with my decision to shield you. I believe this vampire cares about you, but I don't know that it is enough to save you from himself or his kind. I would very much rather you come with me right now."

"That's not going to happen. You may know _me_ well, but I don't know you. But I want to, very much." I couldn't help myself then. I threw my arms around his neck. He hugged me back and I cried into his shoulder.

**~Eric~**

The aroma surrounding Sookie hit me like a battering ram. As soon as she was within my grasp, I grabbed her and pushed her up against the car. She sucked her breath in in surprise and my lips immediately descended on hers. She was a fairy smorgasbord and if I wasn't inside of her soon, someone was going to die instead.

"Eric," she rasped out. "Eric, please try to control yourself." I closed my eyes and inhaled from her neck deeply. She was walking ecstasy.

She was also very afraid right then and my reaction was exactly what Fintan was warning us both about; Fintan, who had likely observed this whole display. It took a great amount of strength to pull away from her.

"Get in the car," I growled. She didn't have to be told twice. I took deep breaths. The scent was actually _on_ her. Fintan had masked it, but when she threw herself at him, it rubbed off on her. When my head started to clear, I looked up and saw that Fintan was standing a few cars away looking murderous. I cursed him in Swedish and got into the driver's seat. Sookie's heavy breathing and racing heart didn't help matters much.

"Are you all right?" she asked cautiously as I tore out of the parking lot, driving like I was qualifying for the Daytona 500.

"I'm mostly reined in." I said hoarsely.

"Tell me what you know about fairies; aside from how they taste." She said.

"They're lovely, male and female both. Incredibly tough and ferocious. They aren't immortal, but they live a very long time unless something happens to them. You

can kill them with iron, for example. There are other ways to kill them, but its hard work. They like to keep to themselves for the most part. They like moderate climates. I don't know what they eat or drink when they're by themselves. They sample the food of other cultures; I've even seen a fairy try blood. They have a higher opinion of themselves than they have any right to. When they give their word, they keep it. They have different magics. They can't all do the same things. And they are very magical. It's their essence. They have no gods but their own race, for they've often been mistaken for gods. In fact, some of them have taken on the attributes of a deity."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't mean they're _holy_," I said. "I mean that the fairies who inhabit the woods

identify with the woods so strongly that to hurt one is to hurt the other. So they've suffered a great drop in numbers. Obviously, we vampires are not going to be up on fairy politics and survival issues, since we are so dangerous to them . . . simply because we find them intoxicating."

She was quiet for a few moments. The scent was a little easier to handle with the top down. "Eric, were you going to hurt me just before?"

"No." I said immediately, as much to convince her as myself. "No." I repeated. "But I was going to do ungentlemanly things to you in the parking lot. The hold fairies have over us, Sookie, is sexual not violent, but as biting and sex are so closely intertwined for our kind, when we taste their blood, we usually cannot stop drinking."

I slammed to a stop in front of the palace. One good thing about being the king's only child was I could park wherever the fuck I wanted to. I was out of the car and opening the door for her instantly. She yelped when I grabbed her and jumped into the sky. No way was I taking her through that house. It would be an all you can eat Sookie buffet in there.

I landed on the balcony outside my room and pushed the door open. I didn't put her down until I got into the bathroom, where I pulled off all her clothes and shoved her into the shower. I turned the water on, but she was in charge of her own temperature control. Right now, I needed to drown that scent out of my head. And I needed to get it out of everything we were wearing or someone else would smell it.

I gathered up her clothes and walked into the other room, pulled off mine and tossed them all into the fire. Drastic, I'll admit, but I didn't want to chance anyone discovering the scent in the course of laundry duties.

I dropped down onto the bed naked. I heard the shower shut off and the curtain open. She was angry. Well, that was going to be interesting.

Sookie flew across the room, wet and wrapped in a towel. She pounced on me and began pummeling my chest with her fists. I honestly don't think I had ever been more turned on by her. She wasn't hurting me, so I let her work out whatever her issue was for a bit. She quite obviously had had vampire blood in her though because she didn't tire out as fast as I expected her to.

"You bully!" she cried. "It didn't occur to you to just _tell me_ what you needed? 'Hey, Sook, I need you to go take a shower?' That was so god damn difficult?" I grabbed her wrists and sat up, pinning her arms behind her back. "Let me go!" She demanded, squirming around in my lap in the most delightful way.

"There wasn't time." I said gently. She stilled and I placed a light kiss on her collarbone. "I'm sorry if I scared you, lover. I just don't want to take any chances with you. This is what Fintan is so afraid of; that I wouldn't be strong enough."

"You were strong enough," she whispered. She put her hand gently to my face and I kissed the inside of her wrist.

"Barely."

"It counts," she said lightly. She reached between us and slid the towel off, dropping it on the floor next to the bed. "You were mostly well behaved tonight." Her voice dropped and she leaned forward and kissed my neck.

"Fintan lives, Sookie; I was _very_ well behaved." I countered.

"You should get a reward."

That was certainly a nice thought, but I was the one whipped up into a sexual frenzy and wasn't likely going to lay back and be a by-stander.

With a millennium of experience in sex behind me, I didn't need a glamour to bend a lover to my will. And since Sookie was well established already as my lover, I didn't mind employing those talents on her to get her to yield to me. I don't even think she noticed the change in control.

What annoyance she had left slipped away and became arousal. As usual, I tried to sift through the feelings of affection to search for something stronger. If I didn't know before that she cared about me, her vehement defense of me to Fintan would have been a dead giveaway.

I kissed her neck and her shoulders and her collarbone, behind her ears, the swell of her breasts. She squirmed in my arms and moaned into my mouth, dug her fingertips into my shoulders and generally made my head spin. I wondered if I had control at all.

She rocked her hips against me then pushed up and slid down around me. No prep time was needed for her tonight. As was her habit, and my second favorite part of sex with Sookie, she dropped her head back, closed her eyes and sighed. Though this time, that delicate pulsing vein in her neck was too much for me to resist and I sank my fangs into her flesh and drank.

And then she surprised me. No sooner had I closed the wound than she picked up my wrist, brought it up to her mouth and bit hard.

I guess she made her decision then.

My eyes rolled back as I felt my blood race through her. Her pleasure slammed through me like a train and a rush of heat rolled behind it.

She looked down at me in surprise and I felt her shock at the discovery of the sheer power of the connection between us now. She could not possibly have fully anticipated just how overwhelming it would be. _I_ hadn't fully anticipated how overwhelming it would be. She was everywhere in me. In my mind, filling my empty heart, in the ends of my fingers, on the tip of my tongue; everywhere was Sookie.

"Yes, lover," I whispered. "Keep going." And she did. She took more of my blood and I realized when she was finished, she was going to be quite stoned and a hell of a lot more durable than she was now.

She put her hand to her head and laughed. "I don't know which are mine!"

"Me either." I confessed. "A little warning would have been nice."

"Are you angry?" She asked.

"You tell me."

She bit her bottom lip as she thought about it. "No, you're not angry. You're…surprised? You're happy. You're excited. You're…" She broke off and blushed. "No, that one is me." I was in love with her. That's what she felt, or she should have because it was swelling out of every pore of my body.

"Not only you, my love." I shook my head. "Do you feel it? Do you feel the love I have for you?"

Quiet tears fell down her cheeks and I leaned forward to kiss them away. "I thought it was just me." She whispered.

"It's not." I started to move again and her fingers threaded into my hair.

"Eric, look!" She gasped. "It's back." I picked my head up and smiled. The glow surrounding us was back. Sookie reached out her hand as if she could touch it, but it merely fell across her tanned skin. I wasn't sure what caused it that first time, but I was pretty positive what made it now.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

**A/N: Okay, that was actually book 8 that I boosted the text from in the last chapter. And I lifted dialog from the show in this one and then changed it a bit to suit my purposes. I didn't think I'd have this chapter ready so quickly, but here it is. Enjoy! twirls evil moustache…mwoo ha ha ha ha!**

**~Sookie~**

I had missed the sun. I didn't realize just how much until I was baking languorously outside by the reflecting pool. I could feel that my days and nights were slowly getting reversed in an effort to spend as much time as possible with Eric. He'd been rising between 4 and 4:30 ever since he met me and so that helped, but I did miss my sunbathing. It was the one guilty pleasure I allowed myself. I didn't do drugs (unless you counted the right-from-the-source vampire blood that I occasionally got from Eric, and I didn't because I only drank from him during a blood exchange), I hardly touched alcohol, though I worked in a bar and I didn't smoke.

But I did sunbathe as much as I possibly could. I loved the way the sun made me feel. I felt energized after an afternoon in the sun. Jason was much the same way, but he could never really stay in one spot. I think that's why he got a job working outside, so he could be out in the sun as much as possible without just lying there.

I sighed blissfully and flipped from my stomach to my back. Unfortunately, this move now gave Bobby a full view of my body that I was sure Eric would disapprove of if he were out here. I didn't like it, but the sun had moved and so I moved with it. And it wasn't like he was actively staring at me. He was sitting at a patio table under an umbrella playing cards. He didn't think sitting outside and courting skin cancer was part of his job.

Whatever. I don't know why he had to be attached at my hip now anyway. All the vampires were resting and the humans and Were staff didn't come near me. One nice maid checked on me intermittently. I didn't sense anything dangerous to me about anyone's presence and Sophie Anne and her crew weren't going to be here until tomorrow night.

"Hey, Sookie." I was surprised by the friendly voice. I opened my eyes and Hugo was standing there smiling down at me. Bobby looked up from his card game to watch. He thought it strange that Isabelle's human was here during the day. Hugo was apparently a lawyer and worked during the day. Bobby had never actually seen him here during the day time hours.

That immediately made me suspicious so I lowered my mental guard to read his mind. He was thinking about Isabelle and her offer for the Dallas tour. Today was the perfect day to do that. We could get lunch and he could talk to me about dating a vampire. We could trade stories, tips and advice. Hugo didn't have a blood bond with Isabelle. He'd never even had her blood. He was wondering if I'd had Eric's. He was thinking about asking Isabelle if he could try hers.

Interesting.

"Hugo, hi." I sat up and pushed my sunglasses up to my forehead. I didn't bother to mask my surprise. "How are you?"

"Pretty good. I got into my office and saw that it was a slow day today, so I thought I'd come over and see if you were interested in that tour."

He seemed a little nervous, but I didn't hear anything really amiss in his head, so I looked over at Bobby. Bobby lifted his t-shirt up a little to reveal what I thought was a Glock 9 and shrugged. He thought he could definitely take Hugo if something shifty popped up and he was tired of sitting around the house, luxurious mansion that it was, babysitting.

"I guess so." I shrugged. I couldn't see a problem with it. All the vampires were resting and I'll bet Fintan was nearby. I realized then I should have asked him for a cell phone number or something, some way to get in touch with him if I needed to. "Let me go upstairs and get changed and you and Bobby can kick around ideas. I've never been here."

"Oh, you've got to see Fountain Place. It's an office building, which no big deal, right? But at the base is this totally cool garden with waterfalls and jets and it's gorgeous. I know some great places for lunch too. There's a bunch of parks and stuff. We could do indoor stuff. You've probably been out in the sun too long already, right?"

"There's no such thing." I laughed. "I'll be back in a jiffy."

I grabbed my sunblock and book and headed back into the house. The humans I passed smiled in acknowledgement. They were professional and courteous but most of them weren't a fan of mine. They didn't see why Eric was so into me. I was used to it at this point. I tried to keep my shields up as much as possible. It was just easier that way.

Our room was dark and I knew that Eric wouldn't be bothered by me turning on a lamp to see. He was sprawled out on the bed, dead to the world. I couldn't feel him now and it was such a huge difference compared to the night before when it seemed I couldn't feel anything _but _him.

I had absolutely no idea a blood bond would feel like that. It was intense and amazing and scary as all hell. It was so overwhelming at first. I couldn't know what he was thinking, but now I knew what he felt and that went a _long_ way to helping me figure him out. He was a very complex person with very complex feelings. You would never know just by looking at him and talking to him what was really going on inside and I know he worked a very long to time to make it that way.

It was a beautiful day, so I pulled out a sundress and some comfortable sandals. It was silly because I know he wouldn't know, but I kneeled onto the bed and kissed Eric's cheek and then ran my fingers through his hair. I still couldn't get over that he wasn't breathing. I'd have to make sure I told Bobby and Hugo that I wanted to be back around 4 o'clock so I was here when Eric got up.

I grabbed my purse and headed back downstairs. I got a fleeting thought from Hugo when I approached them. _Isabelle doesn't know._ I don't know what that meant and he didn't follow that up with any related thoughts, so I was left wondering what that meant. Maybe she didn't know that his day cleared up? But what bearing would that have on her?

"You know, I don't know if I have any cash with me." I said as I got out front where Bobby and Hugo were waiting.

"I have an expense account, Sookie. The Master will be fine with it." Bobby already sounded bored. It creeped me out the way Bobby and Ginger called Eric "the Master." It's not like they were vampires or anything.

"Oh, there's tons of boutiques Downtown if you'd like to do some shopping." Hugo perked up.

"Oh, no!" I dismissed quickly. I wasn't much of a shopper anyway and I wasn't about to flounce around Dallas looking like some spoiled girl with her daddy's credit card and bodyguards. How many wardrobes did these people think I really needed? "I think a walking tour would be just fine. Is there anything you want to see, Bobby?"

"I've seen Dallas." Bobby replied. "Many times." _Some of us actually travel._ Ugh. This was going to be a long day.

Hugo opened the passenger side door of his BMW for me. Wow. This was a nice car. I guess Dallas lawyers did pretty well for themselves. Either that or it paid to be in a vampire inner circle.

Godric's house was outside the city limits but not too far and it seemed like we were Downtown in no time. Hugo seemed to have a parking spot in a centrally located garage. I tried to get my bearings, but I really wasn't a city girl.

We walked the shops of Downtown for a bit and despite Hugo's prodding, I didn't go into any of the dress shops. He thought that kind of odd. In his experience, women who dated vampires loved to spend their money. Stan's girlfriend, for instance, was known to spend tens of thousands of dollars in one spree. I didn't understand that. Why would I spend money that wasn't mine? My Gran would be aghast if I did something like that. She brought me up better than that. She taught me not to be impressed by flashy money. Money could buy nice clothes and fast cars, but it couldn't buy happy.

I looked around to see if I could recognize Fintan, but I didn't see him. I wondered if he disguised himself when I went to places like this. Then I thought that he probably didn't follow me around 24/7. I mean, I'd have noticed that, right? But then again maybe not. Eric said fairies all had different magics, so for all I knew, Fintan could make himself invisible. If he could hide his scent, maybe he could hide himself all together? That would be a nifty little talent and one I would be insanely jealous of.

"What do you like to eat, Sookie?" Hugo asked. "You're from Louisiana, you probably like Cajun food, but I know a great Mexican place."

"I like Mexican." I smiled. "Bobby?"

"Only if it's Mi Cocina." Bobby said.

"Well, no. I was thinking Gloria's." Hugo replied. "But we could go there."

Hugo seemed nervous and he kept eyeing Bobby warily. They both seemed suspicious of each other, which gave me a not so confident feeling. Did they both think the other was going to try something sketchy?

When we got to the restaurant, Bobby insisted on sitting in a corner so he could see everyone that came in.

I asked Hugo about his law practice and he talked about taking on vampire clients and how he'd made a lot of money doing that. That was how he met Isabelle. And boy did he love Isabelle. Bobby rolled his eyes and decided to go up to the bar to get a drink and be away from us for a few minutes. He sat in a position where he could see our table.

"Do you find it difficult to date a vampire like Eric?" Hugo asked. I lowered my shield again to see what he was thinking, but he seemed only curious. I was suddenly wishing that I was able to read _all _a person's thoughts instead of just the ones they were having at just that moment.

"It was definitely an adjustment." I replied. I remembered how concerned Eric was that Bill not find out that we'd only known each other a short amount of time and I wondered if that applied to everyone else, as well.

"Isabelle said he's highly respected and highly feared. You weren't scared of him? I hear he's ruthless."

"I'm not scared of him, no. But I see why people _are_." I added for good measure. "He really loves me."

"It's hard to trust what they say when it comes to things like that. Vampires don't really let anyone close to them. It took Isabelle a while to admit she had feelings for me."

"No, I _know_ he does. I can feel it. We have a blood bond. We can feel each other _and_ he can track me." _This _I thought was safe to tell him. The more people that knew Eric could find me quickly, the better I thought. At least, the more people in this supernatural world that knew the better; I was pretty sure this was something that Jason and Sam wouldn't be too keen to discover.

"You've had his blood?" Hugo sounded truly amazed. How is it that Isabelle hadn't given Hugo blood? Did she not love him as much as he loved her? Or maybe it really wasn't that common of a thing. Eric had said he didn't just give his to anybody.

"Uh-huh. Not a ton, just enough to be bonded. I'm no V junkie or anything." I said quickly.

"Wow." Hugo tried to process that information. All he thought was that one, Eric must really care about me to allow me to feel _him_; and two, I was probably pretty strong.

"What's with the bodyguard?" Hugo asked nodding in Bobby's direction.

"That's Eric's day person." I replied. "Eric's kind of possessive like that." I wasn't about to tell Hugo it was because I was a telepathic fairy hybrid. My eyes scanned the restaurant looking for someone who might be Fintan, but nobody seemed to be paying any attention to us. Hugo seemed to be sizing Bobby up as men tend to do.

Bobby sauntered back to the table and we just made small talk while we ate. I watched the clock and around three o'clock, I said I wanted to head back to Godric's.

The walk back to the garage wasn't very long. I soaked up what sun I could. Bobby thought I was a little freaky like that and decided it would be a miracle if I got through life without my skin turning to leather. But still, I didn't think it the perfect moment to tell him I was a telepath. First of all, Hugo was here and Eric was going to great lengths to keep my disability a secret as long as he could and that would negate those efforts.

The parking garage was a little chilly. Garages like that always freaked me out. They were dark and it always felt like something was lurking the dark corner waiting to jump out at you.

Just when I was about to berate myself for being dramatic, I heard the squeal of tires coming from a level above us. A van screeched around the corner. Thoughts were flying through my head like jumping beans. _There they are! Who's the other guy? Take him out if you have to. Vampire lover; gonna trap one for the Reverend._

Bobby pulled his gun and reached out to grab me, but Hugo got to me first. I expected to be slammed to the pavement, but I was being yanked _toward_ the speeding van. The side door flew open and I struggled against Hugo as he tried to drag me toward the van. Bobby began to shoot at the van and someone was shooting back. A man fell out of the van shot in the head, but I saw Bobby go down as well.

Suddenly, my shoulder exploded in pain and I knew I'd been shot. I went limp in Hugo's arms and he threw me into the back of the van, screaming at the driver that I wasn't supposed to be hurt. The pain in my shoulder overshadowed the prick of the needle and I fell into unconsciousness.

When I woke up, I was on the floor of a basement store room. At least, it felt like a basement and I was in some kind of cage. It looked just like it did in my dream and that did not give me a good feeling because in that dream, Eric and I were covered in blood. I tried to figure out if Eric was awake yet, but I didn't feel any different than before, at least as far as he was concerned. My shoulder was on fire and I felt lightheaded.

Hugo was sitting in a chair just on the other side of the fenced wall. "You!" I gasped. "How could you betray her?"

"It won't be _her _that comes for you." He said. He didn't see this as betraying Isabelle and as long I and the vampire that came for me were dead, he didn't see how Isabelle would ever know. "I thought I was a real emancipated thinker, especially when Isabelle took me to bed. And the sex was amazing. I mean, the best ever – well, _you _know. It's addictive, isn't it? To be desired by something the powerful."

"I'm no addict."

"No. I guess you wouldn't know how your life changes to suit them. You start missing work; can't get up in the morning; can't stand to leave them after dark. Before you know it, you're someone you don't even recognize."

"So you went to the Fellowship because you can't control yourself?"

"I've begged her to turn me. It's the only way we can be together as equals. But see, they don't want us to be equals. No, she's just been using me; the same way that Eric's been using you."

"You don't know Eric." I insisted. Eric didn't want to turn me either. But it wasn't for the reasons Hugo was saying. Why would Eric blood bond with me if he was just using me? Why would he make himself vulnerable like that? Hugo didn't know what he was talking about.

"All they care about is their own kind. Okay? That's why I joined the Fellowship."

"You're nothing but a traitor, Hugo."

"Gabe!" He stood up and walked to the door. "Gabe! She knows everything!"

The basement door opened and the driver from the van, a big graying, balding muscular man in Fellowship sweat suit came in with Reverend Steve Newlin.

"Hello!" Reverend Newlin smiled brilliantly. "Refreshment?" He held up a bottle of water and I would have spit at him, but my throat was parched. I'd be damned if I'd accept anything from _him_ though.

"They're going to come for me." I pressed my hand to my shoulder. The room started to spin a bit.

"Yeah, well, that's what we thought; figured a pretty girl like you would have a vamp running off to her rescue. Actually, we were kind of hoping for it, weren't we, Gabe?"

"Yes, sir. Bring it on." Gabe agreed. He was nothing but mindless muscle.

"We're ready for them. We've been ready for them for a _long_ time."

"You're going to get yourself killed. That's not a threat; that's a fact."

"Oh, they've got you all twisted up, haven't they?" He sighed. He actually sounded almost compassionate. He played his role well. "With their glamouring and their empty promises and their evil blood."

"You're the ones who are twisted! You call yourselves Christians? Jesus would be ashamed of you!"

He laughed and it sent a chilly shiver down my spine. "Well, we're just going to have to agree to disagree on that one. Now, things got a little out of hand when you were picked up and I apologize for that. I'm not the monster that the vampire-loving media makes me out to be."

"Yeah right." I could feel myself getting weaker and I sunk further to the floor.

"All I want from you is a couple of answers and then I'll be happy to feed you a nice hot dinner and send you on your way. I'll even wrap that shoulder up for you."

"I'm not telling you shit." I said as forcefully as I could. "You're going to have to kill me first."

"Well," he said, placing his hands on his knees and crouching down to meet my eyes. "It looks like you're well on your way there. Hugo, good job. Come on with me upstairs. We have a lot of things to take care of still. You see, darlin', we're sacrificing the vampire that comes rushing to save you at dawn. It's a big day for our little congregation. In the morning, the whole world is going to see how powerful we've become. And we will show them that the only one that rose from the dead is Jesus."

I pushed myself up on my hands and my shoulder screamed in protest. Gabe walked into the cage and looked down at me with lust in his eyes. Just then a flood of emotion flowed through me and I knew that Eric was awake. He was frantic, worried, furious. I tried to focus on him. I wasn't sure if I could call to him or not.

"You sure are a pretty girl." Gabe leered. I felt like I was going to throw up. My head was spinning now.

He bent down and I clawed at his face. He retaliated by backhanding me. I fell back to the ground, coughing. I couldn't fight him. I didn't know if he was going beat me, rape me or just finish me off, but I'd lost too much blood to effectively fend off anything his twisted mind wanted to do.

I could feel Eric. He was full of rage and he was getting closer. The anticipation and relief swelled through me and I laughed in reflex. I wasn't sure if he'd make it in time but I prayed he would.

"What the fuck is so funny?" Gabe demanded.

"Eric's coming."

"Who's Eric?"

"My vampire boyfriend. And he's going to kill you."


	15. Chapter 15

**15.**

**A/N: If you've read Dead On, you know I would absolutely NEVER pass up an opportunity for a cliffhanger. But on the other hand, I also don't make you wait long for the resolution either! Also, I'm having a really weird formatting issue and there's really strange lines appearing in my draft. I can't seem to get rid of them. Hopefully, they don't show up online. I'm really sorry if they do. They're annoying the crap outta me.**

**~Eric~**

My eyes flew open and I knew immediately that Sookie was hurt and terrified. I also knew she wasn't at the house. I jumped out of bed and looked at the clock 3:45. I pulled the heavy drapes covering the balcony doors open and saw that it was a pretty sunny day.

Fuck.

Time to test the legends. I pulled the door opened and stepped outside. Nothing happened. But then again, I was still in the shadow of the building, so I stepped forward into the sun. I closed my eyes as the warmth hit me for the first time in over a thousand years. It felt just like I remembered it.

For a few minutes anyway.

Then I started to feel the burning. I stepped back into the shade. I seemed to be all right as long as I didn't have direct contact with the sun, but that wasn't going to do me any good. I stormed back into the bedroom and downed a bottle of blood. Then pulled out my cell phone and called Niall.

"A little early for you to be up, isn't it, vampire?" He greeted coldly. "Just how much of my great-granddaughter's blood have you had?"

I ignored him and cut right to the chase. "Is Fintan with Sookie?"

Niall paused before answering, "No. He's here briefing me."

"God-fucking-dammit!" I shouted.

"What has happened?"

"I don't know. I can feel that she is hurt and terrified, but I don't yet know where she is and I can't go outside until dusk. That's still two hours away. Send Fintan."

I brazenly hung up the phone on the Prince of Fairies and walked out of the bedroom into the hall. I moved quickly downstairs and came upon one of Godric's daypeople. She was stunned to see me.

"Sir!" she exclaimed. "Are you all right?" I imagined her first thought would be if a vampire were up during the day they must be sick, like a rabid raccoon.

"No. My human is gone and she's hurt." I barked. "I need blood and all the Weres that are here right now."

"Right away, sir." She scurried off to do my bidding. I pulled up the GPS feature on my phone and searched for Sookie's phone. One of Bobby's useful qualities was he was pretty tech savvy. Thankfully Sookie had her phone on. I called, but it went to voicemail. "God dammit, Sookie! Call me back and let me know you're okay. I'm going out of my fucking mind. You don't _feel_ okay. I'm coming, lover."

The girl rushed back in with a few bottles of blood and some of the Weres. I couldn't deploy them all because some needed to stay and guard the palace. I pulled the girl to me and shoved the phone in her face. "What is this address?"

Her eyes widened a moment and then she sputtered, "It's the Church of the Fellowship of the Sun."

My stomach fell to my feet.

So Sookie was bait. For me or for Godric? Or did it not matter? And who was our traitor? I called Bobby's cell. He had some fucking explaining to do.

"Sir!" He answered.

"What the fuck happened?" I growled. The girl began to tremble and the Weres backed away from me a bit.

"The Fellowship has her, sir."

"Yes, I figured that out. Are you with her?"

"No, sir. I'm under arrest. I got shot. I think she did too."

I closed my eyes and absorbed that for a minute. So she was critically hurt. But she was awake I could feel that.

"She's in a lot of pain." More to myself than to anyone else.

"They ambushed us in a parking garage. Hugo came by this morning to see if she wanted that tour. They've got Hugo too, but he jumped into the van, sir. They didn't throw him in like they did her."

"Why are you under arrest?"

"I killed one of them."

"Good. I'll send you Mr. Cataliades. What hospital are you at?"

"Parkland. They're confiscating my phone now, sir." The line went dead.

The Weres suddenly bowed and the girl curtsied. Obviously, Godric entered the room behind me. I spun on him and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Godric, the Fellowship has Sookie. Bobby says she's been shot. He got arrested. She's terrified."

"I imagine, my child." He replied, laying a hand on my forehead and dropping his voice to a level the humans and Weres couldn't hear. "As are you. We will get her back. Did you call Niall?"

"Yes, Fintan wasn't with her." I felt my body going calm and I knew it wasn't Sookie's influence; it was Godric's. I channeled what I could of that and tried sending it to Sookie.

"What are you doing with the Weres?" he asked, looking past me.

"I can't go outside yet. I was going to send them ahead with, hopefully, Fintan."

"They'll go when you go." Godric replied. "We can't risk their exposure."

"Godric!"

"And stealth is our best bet." He continued, ignoring my protests. "Remember what I said to you. Sookie is bait. They want a vampire to sacrifice. They have a militia trained to fight us. They will be waiting with silver."

"I don't care." I hissed.

"I know you don't, which is why I have to." He said gently. "They will be expecting us come dusk. They will not be expecting Fintan. If we go in with an army, there will be a big battle. The Authority will not condone it."

He was right. I was willing to sacrifice any number of people to save her. I knew Godric would likely not shed a tear over a few dead Weres, but he could see the bigger picture. All I saw was red.

"You can move too fast for the human eye. You go in on your own and hopefully meet up with Fintan. The Weres will stay on the perimeter in their wolf form and move in if you need the backup. You _must _be dominant over your emotions right now or you'll never get her out of there."

"It's not just my emotions." I whispered.

"Yes, I can feel that too."

He turned to the Weres and raised his voice so they could hear his instructions. I began to pace. Everyone had one wary eye on me. The minutes ticked by slowly. Time never meant anything to me before. I had an endless supply of it, so the speed with which it passed was not something I concerned myself with.

Just as dusk approached, Sookie's terror swelled. Without a word to the others, I tore out of the house and jumped into the sky. There was discomfort, but it was close enough. The sun was low enough in the sky that though I did not move at my normal speed, I got a head start.

The closer I got to Sookie the stronger I felt her pain and fear. If I were more experienced at this blood bond, I could have controlled myself and sent her calm, love even, but I wasn't. It was something I would be mindful of in the future. But not tonight. Tonight I was feeling too primal. I was going to use this anger to kill. I would kill whoever hurt her, whoever caused her fear, and it would be a very painful death.

I landed in the trees outside the church. To my surprise, there was a lot of activity there for an evening. Or maybe this was normal for these ignorant fuckers. I really didn't pay close enough attention to them. My hearing was keen enough that I could hear the humans speaking when they were walking from the parking lot into the church. They were having what they called a "lock in." The whole congregation was gathering and Reverend Newlin was planning a special surprise for them at dawn. It didn't take a genius to figure out he was hoping to trap a vampire.

I closed my eyes and fought the urge to slaughter everyone in the church. It would take me a few minutes, but it was possible. I struggled against my true nature, searching through myself until I found Sookie. She was in there; she was in the basement. I wondered if this was her dream. I thought she could just dream in real time, but maybe she had some sort of premonition?

I didn't have time to worry about that though. Sookie's terror was growing and so I ran full speed for the front door. No one would see me. They would feel only a cool breeze blow by on a warm night.

Everyone was gathering in the great hall. I followed Sookie's blood. I retracted my fangs and once I was in a hallway by myself, moved at a human pace. Normal humans, not like Sookie, couldn't tell a vampire from a human at first glance. I banked on that.

I stopped at the door I felt her the strongest. It was, of course, locked. But that obviously was no deterrent to me. I pulled the door off its hinges and tossed it aside. This was what Godric was referring to when he said not to let my emotions get the better of me. But I didn't care. I cared only about getting to Sookie and saving her from this unspeakable fear she was feeling. At the moment, I was powered by that and my volcanic anger.

I heard her screaming now. Was she screaming before? I hadn't heard it. Now she was screaming my name. She must have felt me coming for her.

When I entered the basement, I was in a near blind rage. She was there in some sort of fenced in cage. Choking, calling for me and coughing, clawing at a pig of a man who was on top of her, fumbling with his pants with one hand and squeezing her throat with another. She was covered in blood. I could see the wound on her shoulder and bruises on her face.

This was the scum that hurt my love and he was the one that would die for it.

I bounded over to where they were in the corner, grabbed him by his neck and lifted him in the air.

"Eric!" Sookie gasped and I felt her relief with her pain. She began to drag herself off the floor and when I realized it was because she was trying to get behind me, I turned around to provide the protection she seemed to be looking for. The man struggled in vain against my iron grip. His eyes began to bulge out of his head with the loss of oxygen.

"Doesn't feel good, does it?" I hissed. "Tell me, which part of your body would you like to lose first?"

"You're going to burn in hell, dead man." He rasped. "They're going to chain you and toss you out into the sun come dawn."

"Such violence from what are touted to be peaceful people." I chided. "Do you feel strong beating up on a girl? In my world, touching my human is against the law. It is an offense punishable by death. In your case, a very gory one."

I leaned in, sank my fangs into his shoulder and tore off his right arm with my free hand. I smiled when he screamed bloody fucking murder. "Provoking a vampire isn't quite what you thought it would be, is it?" I asked pleasantly. "Which part should I take next? It's your choice."

"Eric." Sookie's voice was so hoarse, it sounded like she swallowed gravel. Her hand touched my ankle.

I drew the man close so he could look his death in the eye. "I have drawn out men's deaths for days. And you deserve it. Ironically, it's your own brutality that is saving you from that fate now because she needs me. But it is your fault that she has borne witness to the savage part of me that she should never have had to see. You have broken her heart and the penalty is yours. Your God can't save you now."

I punched my hand through his chest and grabbed his pulsating heart. I pulled it free with a rather disgusting sucking sound that I never quite got used to. The man's utter shock was frozen on his face in death and I tossed his lifeless body carelessly to the floor, dropping his heart somewhere in the vicinity of his body.

I didn't give him another thought as I dropped to my knees and carefully gathered Sookie in my arms. She was crying and trembling. I could smell the silver in her shoulder. She needed my blood. She had lost too much but I didn't want the bullet to heal in her shoulder. I had to close the wound to stop the flow of blood. That meant I had to suck the bullet out.

"Sookie, my love, don't be afraid." I whispered. She clutched my shirt and I quickly explained what I was going to do. She looked up at me wide eyed and I felt a swell of love and trust.

"It was Hugo," she said weakly. I filed that away. I'd deal with him if I saw him; if not, Isabelle would have to hunt him down like the dog that he was. Speaking of dogs, I could hear howling outside and I knew the Weres had arrived.

I gently pulled the material of her dress from her shoulder. It was already sticking to the wound and she cried out in pain. I could feel the bloody tears fall from my eyes and I regretted that I could only kill that man once.

I made quick work of removing the bullet and spit it out as soon as I felt it hit my tongue. I bit into my wrist that wasn't covered in her tormentor's blood, trickled some blood over the wound and then held it to her mouth.

"Not too much, lover." I warned, easing her back into a more comfortable position. "I will get you human blood to replace what you lost, but I need you strong enough to get home." While she sucked on my wrist, I licked the blood from her shoulder. She wasn't the only one that needed strength.

Fintan popped into the basement on Sookie's other side. About fucking time.

"Where the fuck were you?" I hissed.

"Reporting to Niall, under the impression she was _safe_ with you." He retorted.

"She _is_ safe with me. She wasn't _with _me when this happened!"

"How did she get hurt?"

"She got shot. I already sucked the bullet out."

"A silver bullet?"

"It wasn't in my mouth very long fairy, and I needed to close the wound so I could move her." I looked down at her shoulder and was happy to see that the wound was, in fact, starting to close.

"Why is that man in pieces?"

"When I got here, he was about to rape her."

"Was his death quick?"

"Again, I didn't have a lot of time. I would have liked to have terrorized him a bit more, but she was screaming in pain." I held Sookie close and stood up. The alarms were going off and now the whole church knew there was a breach.

"Where is the traitor?"

"I don't know. He wasn't here when I got down here. His name is Hugo. If you find him, don't kill him. He's Isabelle's human and he betrayed her. That should be left up to her to do."

"I won't make that promise."

Oh the fairy drama.

"I need you to create some sort of diversion so I can get her out of here. I can feel the silver in my system and I'd rather not waste energy and strength on fighting."

"Why don't _you_ create the diversion and _I_ get her out of here?" He shot back standing up.

"Can you just pop out of here with her the way you popped in?" I asked.

"No." He admitted.

"Well, I can fly, so I'll be faster. The diversion is on you. Go."

He sneered at me, but popped out of the room. Sookie's eyes closed. I could hear her heart beat. It was quiet, but strong. The bullet was in the fleshy part of her shoulder. She'd lost a lot of blood, but she felt a little stronger than she did when I first got here. I gave the body a good kick for purely selfish reasons and left the basement. I made it to the top of the stairs and into the hallway before I heard voices. Everyone was running to hide in the one great room.

With the silver in my system and carrying Sookie, I wouldn't be invisible to humans when I moved, but I could still run quickly. So, while they all moved to the big hall, I moved to the chapel.

And who was standing right at the altar, but Reverend Steven Newlin. I growled low in my throat, my eyes scanning for the various possible exits. I didn't have time for this half-wit. I saw that I was surrounded by his militiamen with silver chains, guns and stakes. I counted 15 men, but given the voices drifting in, the commotion was drawing more people from the hall. I was to be the main event.

Please.

"And the trap is sprung!" Reverend Newlin called. "Would you look at that? Here we have a vampire. Are you prepared to meet the dawn, you spawn of Satan?"

"If you value your life, or the lives of your men – or women and children for that matter – you will not make the mistake of coming any closer."

"You can't fight us off and save her at the same time." He said.

No, I couldn't, which was why I needed a fucking diversion. Where the hell was Fintan? God damn unreliable fucking fairy.

"Where is Gabe?" Newlin demanded.

"Is that whose heart I tore out downstairs?" I replied easily. Behind me, a woman shrieked. "It wasn't a nice way to go. If you don't let me pass, you'll sentence your congregation here to the same fate. I am not alone."

"I don't believe you."

"Reverend Newlin!" Called a voice from up high. The entire congregation looked up to see Fintan standing on the railing of the balcony surrounded by light.

"Who – who are you?" Steve Newlin sputtered, looking up at Fintan with awe.

"Do you believe in angels, Reverend?" Fintan responded.

"Yes, of course I do." The dreg of the world tripped over himself to confirm his beliefs, for how could Fintan be anything else, glowing up above the way he was. I must confess I was very impressed with the fairy. "Who are you?"

Wings expanded from Fintan's shoulders. Some of the congregation screamed, some gasped, but all believed. The wings, of course, were not real; merely an illusion of Fintan's light, but these mindless sheep saw exactly what Fintan wanted them to. As far as diversions went, this was a really fucking good one.

"I am the Angel of Mercy, Reverend; Eric is the Angel of Death -" Yes, of course I was. I nearly rolled my eyes. "And you, Reverend Newlin have overstepped your bounds. This girl is not meant for you and neither is the creature who has come for her." That creature would be me, of course. I was death, coming to take Sookie for God's purposes. All I was missing was the pale horse.

Sookie chose that moment to pick up her head and look up at her flashy grandfather. "Cheese and rice." She whispered before her head dropped back and she fell into unconsciousness again. She was getting weaker and I was running out of time. I took the opportunity to leap up into the balcony.

"No! Wait!" Newlin's vanity was winning out over his faith and the guns were raised again up at us. It was one thing to believe in the divine; it was something else altogether to be actually tested with its existence. Fintan, however, had another trick up his sleeve. Literally, it turned out. He raised is palm and shot a beam of light down right in front of Newlin's feet. There were more screams and gasps and this time, people actually fell to their knees.

That diversion was so much better than anything _I_ would have come up with for sure.

The only way out of the church at that point was through the stained glass window. Though I lacked religion, I was loathed to destroy a work of art such as this. However, Sookie's life was more precious to me than priceless art, so I kicked out the glass and flew out into the night. I was confident Fintan would have no problem getting out of there.

Godric and Liam were waiting when I touched down on the balcony outside my room. I laid Sookie down on the bed and gently tapped her face. She was very pale and there was a blue tinge around her lips.

Liam dropped onto the bed on her other side. "Fucking Newlin!" He hissed. "Did you get a parting gift, Eric?"

"No. I left the heart of her attacker on the floor by his body."

"I would have used it in a soccer game." Liam could be quite ferocious when he wanted to be. And gross too. Even I wasn't that barbaric and I ripped out a guy's heart tonight.

"There is blood on the way with the doctor." Godric said.

I could see Sookie's eyes move behind her closed lids. "Eric," Sookie whispered, her eyes opening just a small slit.

"Yes, my love. I'm here. We're going to heal you."

"Clap," the word was so soft, I nearly didn't hear it. She brought one hand limply over to meet the other.

"What was that, lover?"

"Clap," she said a little stronger. "It's the only way to save me."

I rolled my eyes. "You're going to make a joke?" I asked incredulously. "_Now?_"

"Lighten up." She said with a small groan. I found absolutely nothing amusing about the situation. "You are not death, Eric." She whispered weakly. "You are my life."

My dead heart split in two.


	16. Chapter 16

**16.**

**A/N: This thing is on chapter 16 already! Yikes!**

**~Eric~**

"Your Majesty," I bowed before the Louisiana queen. "It is good to see you."

"Good evening, sheriff." Sophie Anne replied. "It's been a while."

"I didn't realize Your Majesty wished to see me." I replied. "I've been kept busy in my Area, up until just a few days ago when my maker summoned me here."

Bill Compton was standing off to Sophie Anne's right and his eyes widened as he realized the maker I was referring to was Godric, who had yet to enter the foyer. I assumed he was prepping Liam.

"It must be difficult for you, Eric, serving two masters."

"Typically, it is not, Your Majesty. I enjoy serving Louisiana. However, as the king is my maker, there are things I must do for Texas every now and again." I decided just to let her wonder what those _things_ might be. I looked beyond the queen to Sookie's cousin Hadley. Normally, she seemed pretty confident and comfortable in our presence, but now she looked like she was nervous. "Hadley, Sookie is here. She is looking forward to seeing you again."

"I've missed her. It's been a long time." Hadley's voice shook a bit as she answered and looked over to the queen warily. I was absolutely getting this girl alone and glamouring her.

"I thought she'd be here with you to greet us." The queen purred. "I've heard so much about her and my dear Hadley has been anxious to see her cousin again."

"Then you have not seen the news this evening." I said, which would make sense since they were traveling. "Yesterday, Sookie was kidnapped by the Fellowship of the Sun. She had to be rescued, but she suffered injuries and she's resting now."

"We haven't seen that." Sophie Anne looked truly surprised and a bit concerned. "I expect a full report, sheriff. If one of my constituents has been the victim of a terrorist attack, I'd like to file a full report myself with the Authority." Nicely done, Your Majesty. "I hope her injuries weren't too severe."

"Well, she was shot, which is typically critical for a human and she lost a lot of blood, but thankfully it wasn't anything that a transfusion of human blood and some of my own couldn't remedy. I was lucky to get to her in time. I will warn you though, Your Majesty, that there seems to be footage that the Reverend Newlin is playing for the media and while I am not identified by name, you can see that it is me."

"We will stand behind you, Eric. You are my most valuable and trusted sheriff." And _you_, my dear regent, are the mistress of bullshit.

"I appreciate that."

Godric entered then. Thank God. "Sophie Anne." He greeted. They air kissed as regents tend to do. "You look radiant as always."

"Thank you, Godric."

"I trust the trip was uneventful?"

"Yes, everything went fine. Though I was distressed to hear that you have been having some trouble with the Fellowship."

"Yes, they've been acting up." Godric conceded. "I've just found out that Nan Flanagan will be paying a visit tomorrow to start an investigation and do some damage control."

"Oh, well…" Sophie Anne replied. "How much fun is that not going to be?"

"I'm not looking forward to it." Godric smiled. Sophie Anne was not a fan of the Authority and Nan Flanagan in particular. Actually, she hated the Magister more.

"Well, there is safety in numbers." Sophie Anne responded and then looked beyond Godric to Liam. "Liam, it's always a pleasure. The house is beautiful."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Our staff is at your disposal if you need anything at all. I'm sorry to greet and run, but as Eric is going to be a little busy, I'm going to see to our injured guest. Eric, Quinn is in the office for you." Liam was incredibly polite as he made his quick escape. I expected he'd spend a lot of time tending to injured Sookie. It was lucky for Sookie that she liked him. And that was very artfully done by Liam. He very subtly let Sophie Anne's party know that Sookie was under guard. I'm not sure I could have played that better myself.

"You're hiring Quinn?" the queen asked.

"For Sookie, yes." I confirmed. "I thought it best if she was going to be seen as a target by the Fellowship." Or a greedy queen from Louisiana.

"Well, Quinn's the best." She had to concede that. "We have some things to talk about, you and I. You'll make time."

"Yes, of course, Your Majesty." I bowed again and then left their party and headed to Godric's office.

John Quinn, famed Weretiger, was waiting for me. Quinn, as he was known throughout the supernatural world, was tall, muscular, bald and sported these purple eyes that, quite frankly, creeped me out. And if you're creeping out a vampire, you must be pretty creepy.

"Mr. Quinn," I greeted closing the door.

"Mr. Northman," he nodded in return. "Last I heard, you were a Louisiana sheriff. You switched loyalties."

"I still am sheriff of Area 5 in Louisiana. The king is my maker and a few days ago summoned me here for personal reasons." I sat down in Godric's chair at the desk and gestured for Quinn to take a seat on the other side. He did. Good boy.

"Rotten timing for your human."

"You heard about that incident already?" I raised an eyebrow. "I just had to inform the queen of Louisiana of it."

"I'm awake during the day and I have access to technology, sheriff. I know how to use it."

"So you see why I wish to retain your services." I really hated this guy, but he was the best and I wanted – I _needed_ – the best.

"I don't come cheap." He crossed one leg over the other and folded his hands on his knee.

"Name your price."

He did. It was insulting to Sookie.

"I will pay triple that." I said nonplussed by his figure. Quinn, however, couldn't completely control his reaction. His eyes widened in surprise and his mouth dropped open a bit. "Now that I've got your full attention, I'll tell you about Sookie. What I require is for you to watch over her anytime I cannot and in some instances, such as when we travel, I want you for extra security. Sookie is extremely special. First of all, she is a telepath. Not many in our world know that yet, but they are slowly discovering it and I have no doubt her services will be in high demand. The second, and there is a _very_ small group of people that know this and it will remain that way or I will have to start killing people to ensure that it does, she is part-fairy."

"I thought they were extinct."

"They aren't."

"Why haven't you killed her yet?"

"She is only _part_ fairy. I don't pose that kind of danger to her. However, she exhibits fairy magic. Niall Brigant is her great-grandfather and his son Fintan is her grandfather. He watches over her, as well. However, he is not always there. In the last two weeks, the queen of Louisiana has tried to procure her for herself and the Fellowship of the Sun has kidnapped her."

"Busy girl."

"And I imagine that's just the tip of the iceberg." I smiled a bit then as I felt a swell of added emotion and I knew that Sookie had just woken up.

"That amuses you?"

"No, Sookie has just woken up. We are bonded. I tell you all this, Quinn, because in order to effectively do what I'm asking you, you need to understand exactly who Sookie is and what she is to me."

"Does she have any idea you're hiring me?"

"Yes."

"And what does she think of it?"

"Well, before she was kidnapped, she thought it was an over-reaction on my part. Though I haven't asked her again, I imagine she'll still hate the idea. She doesn't see herself as special; she doesn't see herself as worthy of this attention or protection. She is, of course, wrong. The purpose is not to interfere with the way she lives her life, just keep her safe while she does it. She's a free spirit and I won't have her living her life with a guillotine constantly raised over her head."

"A free-spirit, huh?" Quinn asked. "That could mean many things. And what about the second part, what she is to you?"

"I am over a thousand years old, Mr. Quinn. Before Sookie, I was bonded to exactly two people: my maker and my child. You do the math."

Suddenly, my body went rigid as I felt a wave of depression flow over me. All was not right with my love. "I'll be back." I said quickly and left Quinn in the office.

**~Sookie~**

When I opened my eyes, Liam was sitting by my bed reading a magazine.

"Where's Eric?" I croaked. My throat was sore. I swallowed a bit to try to get moisture to it, but it didn't work. I noticed a glass of water by the bed and leaned over and guzzled down the whole thing. I felt monumentally better after that.

"He's downstairs greeting Sophie Anne and her people and Quinn has shown up too." Liam said, flipping a page. "But I'm sure now that you're awake, he'll be darkening the door here any minute."

"Shouldn't you be down there?"

"My dear, Sookie, I greeted the queen and her contingent like a good host, but a guest of mine was almost killed by a religious terrorist and so I've come up here to keep vigil at her bedside. I think I'm more needed here."

"You're avoiding Sophie Anne, aren't you?"

"Yes. Okay, yes, I am."

"I won't give you up." I smiled conspiratorially. "We can avoid her together."

"Luckily for you, Godric and Eric want you to have as little contact with her as possible and at the moment, you have the perfect excuse."

"That can't be said for you?"

"Oh no. Godric wants me to have as little contact with Sophie Anne as possible as well." Liam assured with a fangy smile.

"So, Eric's all right then?" I asked.

"Yes. He got some blood from Godric and he's just fine. The blood from our maker or a child can heal us almost instantly." Liam explained. I must have looked confused or a little hurt that my blood wouldn't have been good enough.

I remembered patches of what happened at the Fellowship. Of course, I remembered my conversation with Hugo and Gabe attacking me and Eric's brutal killing of him. I remembered Eric sucking a silver bullet from my shoulder and then arguing with Fintan. I remembered looking up and seeing Fintan glowing high up above everyone and then that was it.

I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on Eric's feelings. It wasn't easy yet sifting through both of our emotions and separating out whose were whose. His were extremely overpowering yesterday, despite the strength of what I was feeling myself. I imagined we were quite a mess of emotion, but today nothing seemed amiss.

"I can't tell if he's mad at me." I frowned.

"Why would he be mad at you?"

"Well, I went out during the day and got kidnapped by the Fellowship of the Sun, shot, and had to be rescued. Speaking of shot, is Bobby alive?"

"Yes," Liam's lip curled in disgust. He didn't seem to like Bobby any more than I did. "He got shot in the leg. Mr. Cataliades sprung him on bail."

"Mr. Who?"

"Cataliades. He's a demon and supernatural lawyer. The best." Liam explained. "Anyway, Bobby's recuperating across the hall. I have not felt the maternal instinct to sit and keep vigil at _his_ bedside, I don't care how well he dresses. As far as reasons for Eric to be mad at you, you'll have to take that up with him. He was very upset over how hurt you got, but whether or not he assigns any responsibility to you for it, I couldn't imagine why."

"I feel like I should have known better or something."

"Dear Sookie, well-behaved people rarely have fun." Liam winked. "Should you have known better? No, I don't think so. You have very little experience with our world and the experience you _do_ have certainly hasn't been to that scale. Should you know better next time, yes, I think your lesson has been learned. And if the prince doesn't see it that way, well, you've got him wrapped around your cute little finger. Pull your shirt up and blind him with your magnificent breasts. He'll come around to your way of thinking pretty fast."

I rolled my eyes. I think Liam overestimated my influence with Eric in situations like that. After all, I was quite obviously still getting a bodyguard, no matter how utterly ridiculous I thought the idea was. "Bobby didn't seem to think it would be a problem. He's the one that had the gun."

"Well, whether or not Bobby should have known better is quite a different matter and his punishment would be up to Eric."

"He got shot trying to protect me. The guy's an asshole, but he should get some credit for that."

"The _guy_ took you outside the safety of the palace because he was _bored_. And he did not succeed in keeping you safe." Liam shrugged. "It sort of mitigates anything awesome he may have done later."

"I'm not sure I'll ever understand vampire politics." I groaned. "I'm getting out of bed now."

Liam shrugged and stayed seated. I was achy, but able to move around just fine. I felt stronger as well. Eric said he was going to get me human blood and he must have. I made my way into the bathroom to take care of all my human needs. Then I made the mistake of looking in the mirror. I looked truly a fright. My heart sank as I saw the bruises all over my face; my hair was in tangles and my shoulder; though I couldn't see a wound – very nicely done, Eric – was pink and bruised and felt tender when I rotated it.

My breath caught in my chest and my eyes welled up with tears and just when I thought I was going to lose it, Eric streaked in.

"What's wrong? What has happened?" He gently took my face in his hands and pressed a kiss to my forehead. That one tender gesture seemed to be the approval I needed to break down. Tears streamed down my face and I started sobbing. I sank against Eric's chest and I could feel his confusion. He swept me up and brought me back out into the room, setting me down on the couch.

"Oh dear, Eric, did you press the self-destruct button? I believe this is what humans call a meltdown." Liam said standing next to where I was seated.

"I think maybe you're going to have to hide from the queen somewhere else for a little while." Eric said tightly to Liam. He was annoyed and flummoxed by my sudden breakdown.

Liam huffed and stormed regally out of the room. I was sure he wasn't going downstairs. I felt bad for him. It had to be rough watching your lover negotiate to marry someone else. Even if it was typical and a marriage in name only, that still had to sting a bit. I know _I_ wouldn't like it. I was suddenly wondering if there would be any scenario where I could be in that position with Eric and that only had me crying harder.

"All right. I've gotten rid of the little pest. Now tell me what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry." I said taking a deep breath. "I don't mean to be such a girl. It's just all coming back to me now and I look like I got hit by a train and I'm so very sorry I worried you like that -"

"You scared the hell out of me, is what you did, lover."

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't read anything from Hugo that would let on that he had anything like that planned. Did you find him?"

"Isabelle tracked him. At the moment, he's hiding out at the Fellowship's compound. But he'll have to leave it sooner or later."

"He'll do it during the day."

"And the Weres will be waiting. Don't worry about Hugo, lover." He gently pulled me into his lap and held me while I cried into his chest, stroking my hair. "What happened in the basement of the church?"

"You saw the worst of it." I said with a hiccup.

"Do you swear?"

"What are you going to do, kill him again?"

"Burn the church to the ground, slaughter Steve Newlin and anyone else who worked with the pig Gabe." His voice was cold and detached. For a moment, _he_ felt detached from me.

I sat up and looked him right in the eyes, but he seemed to be staring off into the distance over my shoulder. "Hey," I said turning his face back to me. "Don't bring any more trouble onto yourselves. You don't need any more reasons for the Fellowship to make you look bad." I don't know what I said that was so funny, but he just started cracking up. "What's the joke?"

"There's no joke, my lover, there is irony in what you said. Newlin has gone on television and said one of Godric's disciples, known only to him as "Eric, the Angel of Death," infiltrated his church and kidnapped a girl - that would be you. However, they were all saved by the Angel of Mercy. Now, we could just call him crazy in return, but it seems he's got actual footage of Fintan and his very impressive display, which you missed most of. Newlin likes to record his sermons for later use in religious education classes and the camera caught Fintan's show. It's been playing on both the human and vampire news stations. Nan Flanagan is coming down tomorrow to start an investigation."

"Nan Flanagan _and_ Sophie Anne?" I croaked. I saw Nan Flanagan on television. I didn't want to meet her in person. I dropped my face into my hands and shook my head. "Godric's going to hate me. I've brought nothing but problems down on both of you. I wonder if I'm too old for Fintan to ground me."

"I knew what I was taking on as soon as I discovered everything you were. None of this is your fault. You wouldn't have been on the Fellowship's radar if it wasn't for me and my connection to the king. And because you _are _now on the Fellowship's radar, tonight you'll be meeting Quinn, your new bodyguard."

I sighed heavily. "I suppose there's no way to talk you out of that now."

"There wasn't before."

"So I'm going to meet him looking like I got in a fight."

"You _did_ get in a fight and you have lived to tell the tale. I'm very proud of you. Look at your shoulder, Sookie, it's almost healed and the bruises are fading. You look like you got injured a week ago instead of yesterday; another day and there will be no marks at all." I was surprised at how a vampire as ruthless as Eric could be so comforting when he wanted to be. "You are always beautiful to me, lover, and at the moment, these bruises only remind me of how strong you are."

"You're really very charming when you want to be."

"You're the only one that gives me reason to want to be."

"I think we have to talk about what happened in the basement of the church." I said, gathering my courage and my breath support. I felt his nervousness and I almost laughed. I was the one that was about to hear things I didn't want to hear.

"You want to talk about me killing Gabe." He concluded.

"No." I shook my head.

"You don't?" Now he was surprised…and relieved.

"No. I mean, that was really awful to see and the less I see you do that, the better, believe me. But it wasn't like everyone I've talked to since I met you hasn't warned me about that, though seeing it first hand was fairly terrifying, but no, that's not what I was talking about."

"I'm intrigued." He said, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear. "What is it you'd like to talk about with me?"

"Well, it was my conversation with Hugo." I took a deep breath and recounted the things Hugo said to me. My voice caught a few times, even though I tried hard to sound like it didn't bother me either way and I was merely curious – which he wouldn't have believed anyway because of the traitorous blood bond.

When I was finished, he waited until I warily met his eye to speak. "Well, my first reaction is simply what is between - or not between – Isabelle and Hugo is not a part of this." He said firmly, waving a finger between us. "But I can tell that's not good enough. There is some truth to what he said, lover. Most vampires don't think humans are their equal. But it is not _just_ humans. Vampires in general do not see themselves as equal to Weres, shifters or fae either. Vampires see themselves as above all.

"If Isabelle refused to turn Hugo or give him her blood, it can only be because she didn't really _love_ him. I know you know better. Vampires do not fall in and out of love and do not allow themselves to care for humans. Humans served specific needs, but with the invention of synthetic blood and other vampires around for sex, we don't need them like we did once. As for why I don't want to turn you, Sookie, if you think I don't want to spend eternity with you, you really are insane. Vampire relationships, especially between a maker and child, notoriously don't last long. There are exceptions, of course, like Godric and Liam and some others. But typically, the child moves on after a decade or two. Of course, the maker can call the child back and even command that child to stay with them, but Sookie, I want to know that you're with me because you _want_ to be and not because I had to order you to. And if you have 80 more years on this planet, then I want those 80 years.

"That is the selfish reason; the unselfish reason for not turning you is that I'm afraid. I'm scared if I turned you, I'd destroy this beacon inside you and it is who you are. Sookie, you can do extraordinary things and to kill that before you've even gotten to explore is criminal.

"As for _you_ changing to adapt to me, I'm not awake during the day and for all intents and purposes, I _can't_ be. That's just the way it is. But, lover, I have changed for you, too. I am able to rise earlier. The only person I explain myself to is my maker when he commands it, but I am explaining myself to you because you asked and I have since the moment I met you. There are things about me I can't change, but you have made me wish very much that I could. You have awakened things in me I didn't know existed. And if I live for another thousand years after you're gone, that's something I will always carry with me."

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and hugged him as tight as my strength would let me at that moment. His strong arms closed around me and he rubbed my back and stroked my hair. This Eric was the polar opposite of the one I saw in the basement. It was hard to believe they were the same person.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"For what, lover?"

"Well, saving my life yesterday for one."

"It's a life always worth saving."

"And for your patience with me."

"That is uncharacteristic of me." He said with a half-laugh. "But I don't like it when you're sad. Not only because we are bound pretty tightly now so when you're sad _I'm_ sad too, but because you're a pleasant person. It's appealing to me. It's comforting, and as someone who's not accustomed to accepting comfort, I don't like when it's fucked with."

I laughed and wiped the tears from my face. Leave it to Eric. I blushed when my stomach growled. "Guess its dinner time."

He picked me up when stood and then gently set me back on the couch. He turned the television on and handed me the remote control and then draped a blanket over me. This was nice. This was the Eric I liked. This was _my_ Eric.

"I feel your contentment." He smiled down at me.

"You do that." I smiled back, feeling a little goofy if I said so myself.

"I'll be back with food…and Quinn."

I lost my smile.

"Not so content now."


	17. Chapter 17

**17.**

**A/N: Did y'all read Chapter 3 of Dead Reckoning? Waiting sucks! Eric and Sookie have quite a bit to deal with! Speaking of waiting, sorry you had to wait for this. Feels like I haven't posted in a while. I got half way through the chapter and hit a wall. Everyone clammed up. Even Liam!**

**~Eric~**

I returned to the room with Quinn to find it empty. I had a brief moment of insanity before I realized Sookie was out on the balcony. The panic I felt when I awoke the other night to discover her missing and in her place only a horrid feeling of pain and terror was not going to be forgotten easily.

I put her dinner on the table and motioned for Quinn to stay behind for a minute. I walked out onto the balcony to find Sookie studying my favorite piece of art. It is, believe it or not, a statue of a fairy. This one has wings, as does its sister piece, which sits in the garden of my house in Shreveport. This one is standing on her toes, arching her back and offering a ball. I've often wondered if she was offering the world, or _her_ world, or it was a gazing ball and she was offering a glimpse of the future. I have spent endless hours staring at this statue.

"I didn't notice this the other night," she said softly, rubbing her bare arms.

"Ironic, isn't it?" I smiled. I walked behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Liam bought this for me, along with its sister piece. When he saw them, he said he thought of me; he thought I would appreciate them the most. The one at my house is sitting cross-legged by a pond."

"How long have you had them?"

"About 25 years." Well now that was curious; that was how old she was.

"What does it say?" She asked, pointing to the engraving in the stone base of the statue. The time significance seemed to have been lost on her. I couldn't blame her for skipping past it; the fact that I even _had_ these two statues was pretty coincidental…at least I thought it was.

"This one says _A ghŕa_, which means 'my love,' and the other says _A Thaisce_, which means 'my treasure;' both of which, describe you." I pressed a kiss just below her ear.

"You can sweet talk me all you want, fella, it's not gonna to make me feel any better about having a bodyguard," she quipped. We had apparently moved away from the subject of the charming statues.

"A bodyguard who is going to blend right into the scenery; you'll never know he's there."

"Except when everyone says, 'Sookie, who's that guy following you around?'" she volleyed.

"If people are saying that, then he's not doing his job very well."

"Eric…" she trailed off. She turned around in my arms and laid her hands flat on my chest. She looked right into my eyes and said earnestly, "I'm really not comfortable with the idea of a bodyguard."

It was _really_ hard not to cave and give her what she wanted when she looked at me like that. Added to _the look_ was the fact that I could also feel her reluctance over the situation as well. But unfortunately for her, my need to keep her happy was trumped only by my need to keep her _safe_, and so a bodyguard she was getting.

"You can't change my mind." I held firm. "And you can think of him more as a 'personal protection agent.' Doesn't that sound better?" Or 'close protection officer', 'executive security assistant'; I could come up with a dozen different names for a bodyguard.

"I bet if I got naked I could change your mind."

I bet she was right.

Especially if she broke out that Sookie-kung-fu-glamour while she was naked.

"You're welcome to give it your best shot," I challenged. She dropped her head against my chest and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, lover. I'm sworn to protect you and I'm going to do it. If it makes you feel any better, he has been instructed to keep his distance and not interrupt the way you live your life. Fintan cannot be out in the open in Bon Temps with your brother there. If he's willing to accompany you when you leave Bon Temps, we can negotiate. When I was human, Sookie, the man provided everything for the woman, it was his duty, and in my nature as a vampire, I protect what's mine. It's taking a lot of restraint not to just handcuff you to my side. Those in my world will not understand why I haven't just forbidden you to work." She snapped her eyes up to mine and there was quite the fight in them. "But I know better," I continued quickly. "All the same, it's not really an acceptable practice in my world."

She sighed and nodded. "Surely, it can't last forever, right? I mean, sooner or later, the interest in me will die down, people will get used to my existence and I'll go back to my nice normal life."

Not fucking likely.

She looked at me and apparently did _not_ want an answer to her hypothesis. "All right. Let's get this over with."

"You can talk to Quinn while you eat. I brought you food." I announced. I took her hand and led her back inside the room. Quinn stood by the door, just where I left him. His reaction to Sookie was immediate. I don't know if he was shocked by the fading evidence of her recent ordeal or because she was a beautiful woman wearing a tight tanktop that showed off her luscious breasts and killer curves and I was just then realizing I wasn't at all comfortable with it.

Liam was sitting on the couch watching TV. "Pay no attention to me," he waved. "You can do this with me here." I glared at him, but decided not to bother with the fight. There really wasn't any good reason for kicking him out anyway.

"Sookie, my sweet, this is John Quinn." I said, holding my hand out to gesture to the only one in the room she didn't know. "He will be heading up your security team."

"Whoooooa!" She said and spun on me. "_Team_?"

"Poor choice of words, lover." I dismissed, though I wasn't ruling out adding at least Bubba to the detail. Sookie didn't look like she believed me, but she turned back to Quinn and held out her hand. Quinn politely shook it. I noticed the handshake lasted longer than typical human handshakes did and I realized it was because Sookie was reading him. I chuckled. I was sure she was checking his brain for the accuracy of my statement.

She pulled her hand back almost like she were electrically shocked and I suddenly wished I were inside her head. She had obviously heard something she wasn't wild about and I was willing to bet she wasn't going to share it with me voluntarily.

I pulled out her chair for her. I knew she didn't like to be the only one eating, but quite honestly, that was something she was just going to have to get used to. I wasn't in charge of feeding Quinn. I was just happy with myself for remembering to feed _her_.

"So, Mr. Quinn -" Sookie began, scooping food into her mouth.

"Just Quinn." Please.

"Wow, Liam! This is delicious!" Sookie's whole face lit up over whatever the hell that glazed gunk was on her plate.

"I didn't make it or anything." Liam replied.

"Do you have an actual chef here?"

"Yes, for Godric's important human clients and the humans we actually like." He winked at Sookie and then turned back to the television. Sookie returned to her food and conversation with Quinn.

"What exactly is it you do?"

"Protect my clients from assault, kidnapping, assassination attempts, loss of personal and confidential information, terrorist attacks or other threats."

"That sounds like its right out of a brochure."

"It is."

"Can you give me a little bit more detail of what I can expect?"

"Mostly I'll be planning and checking out the routes you take places, searching the rooms and buildings you'll be going to, doing background checks on the people you associate with, driving you where you need to go -"

"Eric!" She yelped, dropping her fork. "Honey, I _really_ don't need a chauffer." I tossed Liam another annoyed look as I heard his low snicker.

"Lover, it doesn't make sense for him to follow you in another car. That means he has to constantly check _two _cars."

"Check my car?" She asked incredulously. "I live in _Bon Temps_, Louisiana. There's not a heck of a lot of people there that know how to plant a car bomb. And another thing, how is all that _blending in_?"

"Well, what I meant was he wasn't going to actually follow you as you walked around Merlotte's."

"Sam's going to fire me!" And that was a problem how?

"Miss Stackhouse…" Quinn began.

"And _don't_ call me that or 'ma'am.'" Sookie spun back to Quinn. She was awfully feisty and it was hot to watch. I think Quinn was a little surprised. When you first saw her, you really didn't think she'd be this much of a firecracker. Then again, when _I_ first saw her, she tossed a drink in some guy's face.

"Sookie," Quinn said holding up his hands in surrender. "I know this all sounds invasive, but most of it, you're not even going to see. There is a certain amount of distance I do this from. I don't need to follow you into the shower." Sookie scowled here, so I wondered if Quinn thought about following her into the shower.

"Do you need a room in my house or something?"

"No." I said immediately. Hell fucking no. "He'd sweep the house for you and then stay out of your way. He's there to protect you. Sleeping there while you are would defeat the entire purpose, my love." _My_ love; got that, tiger? I was beginning to think that I should just let Sookie get naked and talk me out of this whole thing.

But then I remembered I could easily just kill Quinn if I was in any way dissatisfied with his services and I grinned wickedly. This earned me a suspicious glare from Sookie. I tried to look innocent in return, but really, I didn't do innocent and we both knew it.

"And let's say someone did attack me, what is it you plan to do?"

"Depends on the situation." Quinn shrugged. "Fight like a man, pull out a weapon, or just shift into a tiger and shred them. Every situation is different, Sookie."

"What _kind_ of tiger?"

"The big fucking mean kind." I put in.

"A Bengal." Quinn added.

Sookie looked over at me. She looked lost, like she was floating out at sea without a tether to anything. I felt that look like a knife in the gut. She looked back down at her plate and stabbed her food with her fork.

"Sookie, the Sheriff has told me you are…reluctant…to have a guard. He's also told me what you are. Believe me when I tell you, when that starts getting around, there's going to be a _lot _of people interested in you. They're not all going to want to hurt you. In fact, most of them are only going to want you in their control. And if it ever gets out that you're a _fairy_, honey, you guys aren't even supposed to _exist_. If that gets around, you're as good as dead." I frowned at his use of the word 'honey.' It wasn't a term I used, but he made it sound mildly derogatory and I didn't like that either. "It's a smart move on his part. And as we get accustomed to each other, we'll add any measures we need to or take away ones we don't need."

Sookie scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You almost make it sound like I have a _choice_." And now that knife was twisting.

"You don't," Quinn said frankly. "And it's too bad that you're in this position. But Sookie, you _are_ in this position. If the abduction by the Fellowship of the Sun hasn't given you a wake-up call then I really have my work cut out for me. I promise to take your suggestions and ideas under consideration. I'll be honest, you'll hardly, if ever, get your way, but I'll listen to what you have to say."

"Now who does _that_ sound like?" She muttered and looked at me out of the corner of her eye.

"Most people who have met me will tell you I don't listen to what they have to say. I don't typically care. That is not the case with you." I reminded her.

I couldn't help it if we didn't see eye-to-eye on this subject. She was in danger; quite obviously in danger. It was the _whole reason_ we even met in the first place. I didn't like it anymore than she did. In fact, I was pretty sure I liked it _less_ than she did. I was a possessive guy. The last thing I wanted was for another man to be in charge of protecting what's mine. I wondered how pissed she'd be if I talked to her shifter boss about scheduling her nights off around my schedule at the bar. Maybe I could make my schedule around hers. I held more power.

Well now, wasn't that a milestone moment for me. I didn't do _anything_ around _somebody else's_ schedule. The world revolved around me. Or it did once. My world was quite thoroughly knocked off its axis. Sookie looked over at me and sighed in defeat. _Not_ something I enjoyed feeling from her. However, I would like it even less if she were dead or kidnapped.

"Whatever you think is best, Eric." She said softly looking up at me with those puppy eyes. She was playing me like a two dollar banjo, but as much as I wanted to give her what she wanted and see that bright smile, in this case the end result really did justify the means.

"I made you a promise to protect you, my beauty, and I will keep my word. You can tell I get no joy out of the situation. I don't want you to be unhappy, but I won't sacrifice your safety either."

"I know; I understand. I appreciate everything, I do. And it was nice to meet you, Quinn." She gifted him with that thousand watt smile. She was the epitome of Southern manners and grace. My Sookie dripped charm. I think she just fairy-glamour-whammied Quinn because he was tripping all over himself suddenly to reassure her of his discretion and professionalism. That wasn't good. One smile from her could not make him flummoxed like this. I was going to have to talk to her about this new trick of hers.

It would have to be another time though because right then, my blood came alive. A sensation that I hadn't felt in a very long time suddenly flowed through me. Godric was literally summoning me with his blood.

"Thank you, Quinn," I said rising. "I looked down to Sookie. The King has summoned me. Liam will stay with you a bit."

"He did?" Sookie looked around the room. Obviously no phone rang, no one came to the door and a little light on the wall didn't come on. She couldn't know how he summoned me. Truth be told, since she had my blood, I could do the same thing to her and she'd have to obey. But that didn't really seem appropriate for her. Again, it was that whole not wanting her to be with me because I was making her thing.

"Yes, lover. I have to go downstairs. I'll see you out, Quinn." No way was I letting him stay up there with so much of Sookie's luscious upper body on display, even if Liam was there. I was clearly going to have to come to terms with some things if I was hiring Quinn to hang around during the day. Sookie liked to sunbathe and God only knew what she wore (or didn't wear) then. Maybe I could work out some elaborate schedule where she only sunbathed when Fintan was available. That didn't seem likely though.

I kissed Sookie and helped her over to the couch where Liam was sitting still. He immediately started talking her ear off. I then showed Quinn out the front door and told him I'd be in touch. Then I entered the main sitting room where Sophie Anne, Bill, Hadley and Cleo were gathered with Godric, Isabelle and two other Texas sheriffs. Negotiations were going to begin.

"Ah, here's Eric." Godric said, as if he hadn't just summoned me down. "Sophie Anne, you'll understand why I have asked Eric to sit out of the negotiations. I thought it inappropriate to put him in that sort of position, especially if we get to the point where we need to go to the Authority with the merger."

"Absolutely, Godric. We wouldn't want anything called into question. And I would not have my sheriff's character questioned." Sophie Anne nodded. What was she really going to say? It made me crazy that Godric was even entertaining this farce at a preliminary level. I wasn't sure what I would feel if he actually went through with it. I supposed a union between Texas and Louisiana would be profitable and it would probably make my life easier, but the whole thing still left a bad taste in my mouth.

And Liam was sure to boycott any official ceremony.

"How is Sookie feeling?" Godric asked.

"Better. She just met Quinn; she hates the idea of a bodyguard." I supplied.

"Naturally." Godric smiled affectionately. Then he looked over to Sophie Anne. "Sookie is very spirited."

"Liam is with her now."

"He is very fond of her." Godric nodded. Translation: the telepath is the property of Texas, despite what territory she resides in. "We were going to move into the dining room, Eric. I thought maybe you could escort Sookie's cousin up to see her."

Godric looked back at Hadley and smiled in a friendly way; probably to reassure the Queen's favorite pet. He wouldn't want to let on to the fact that this was my opportunity to glamour her to find out what the hell was going on. Sophie Anne looked a little uncomfortable now. Obviously, it wasn't appropriate for a human to be in on the merger negotiations, but that left Hadley to me. And Sophie Anne had to know that I would glamour her. But why _shouldn't_ she leave her favorite human in the care of her most trusted sheriff? She'd have to admit she had something to hide.

This was all going to come back on me sooner or later. Sophie Anne didn't like to be played or cornered and now she was both. I would have to let Pam know to be on her guard. Sophie Anne couldn't do much to me physically, but she could find other ways to get her revenge.

"That would be wonderful! Wouldn't it, dear Hadley?" Sophie Anne gushed.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Hadley smiled. I'm sure she likewise had a job to do where Sookie was concerned, but Sookie would figure that out for herself as soon as she was in Hadley's presence.

I waited politely until the rest of the vampires left the room and moved into the dining room. Weres lined the walls inside and stood guard at the closed the doors. Now, the question was whether I glamoured her in Sookie's presence or not. I decided not to. I led Hadley outside instead near the reflecting pool.

"Sookie's out here?" she asked.

"No. She's upstairs in my room." I replied. "We'll get to her."

Hadley looked up at me warily, which was her mistake. Naturally, as soon as she met my eye, I had her locked in. Surely, she spent enough time around vampires to know she should never actually look one in the eye.

"Hadley, did you tell the Queen about Sookie's ability?" I was going to cut right to the chase.

"Yes," her eyes teared up. At least she felt bad about it. "She was going to replace me and I need her. I need her protection for my son."

"Your son?" I asked surprised. Sookie didn't mention a nephew.

"I think he's like Sookie. I don't know what will happen if anyone finds out. I need to stay in the Queen's favor."

"Does Sophie Anne want to hurt Sookie?"

"No. I don't believe so. She wants to have her under her control. She thought she could maybe bond her to Andre. Then they could ensure her loyalty."

Andre was the Queen's second in command and beloved oldest child. He must have stayed behind in New Orleans while she traveled. I'll bet that made him crazy. Andre was exactly the wrong person for Sookie to be bonded to. He wouldn't care about her; he wouldn't protect her. He would order his blood around and bend her to their whim. That was probably worse than the Bill Compton seduction.

"What did the Queen do when she found out Sookie was mine?"

"She didn't know. She was furious that you knew Sookie and knew about her ability and didn't tell her. She thought you were trying to hide Sookie for yourself. Then she was going to order you to bond with her. She figured as long as Sookie was bonded to someone in her Queendom that she could still control her."

All of this was exactly as I suspected, except the son part. "So the Queen knows you have a son, Hadley?"

"Yes." Hadley's eyes teared up again. "I had to tell her. He lives with his father and I don't see him much. Remy, my ex-husband, is concerned because Hunter can't control what he says, like Sookie used to, and he started talking in front of detectives and Remy thinks the government knows he's different. We're afraid they'll try and take him." That was one of Sookie's fears as well. "He's just five. I know the Queen wants to draft him too when he's older. She's hoping to take him from Remy and have Sookie train him."

The Queen was not stupid. Regents got to their positions by being cunning, smart and ruthless. I respected Sophie Anne. I enjoyed serving her. But she wasn't getting her hands on my fairy. I was immensely happy that Andre stayed behind. Eventually, they would meet and I was certain he'd be able to identify her as fae from her scent, if Sophie Anne couldn't do it when she met her here. But Andre was very talented like that. Sookie would never get by Andre.

Suddenly, another thought occurred to me. "Hadley, who is Bartlett?" Hadley's face visibly paled and I could see she didn't have fond memories of the uncle either.

"Our uncle; gran's brother."

"Sookie said he hurt her. Did he hurt you too?"

"Yes."

"What did he do?"

"He'd touch us." Hadley openly wept now. "No one believed Sookie and I when we said something. Only Gran did. When Sookie and Jason went to live with Gran, Sookie told her about Uncle Bartlett and Gran adlHadwouldn't let him visit them anymore. But my mother never believed it and so he could still see me. That's why I ran away. He did it all our lives."

"And he's still alive?" I growled.

"I believe so."

"Where does he live?"

"Jackson."

"His last name is Stackhouse?"

"No, Hale."

I waited a moment to try to get myself back under control. Sookie would feel my bubbling rage. I knew that he hadn't had sex with at least Sookie, but what he did was horrible enough; that much was obvious during her conversation with Fintan. It must have made what happened with Gabe that much more terrifying. I was happy Bartlett still lived. He should die for his crimes against his nieces. Not that I gave a shit about what happened to Hadley, but I loved Sookie and I was ecstatic about being the one to kill her childhood tormentor.

"Hadley," I said finally. "We never had this conversation. I brought you right up to see Sookie." For good measure, I wiped her memory of me completely. She wouldn't even be able to think of me when she got back to Andre. He'd suspect it was me, but he'd have no proof.

I released her and led her back inside. I was so anxious to be on my way that I nearly dragged her up the stairs. Once we were back in the bedroom, Sookie immediately embraced her cousin. Her eyes widened as I imagined the things she might be hearing from Hadley's mind right then, but I felt her relief and joy anyway. It made me smile.

Sookie pulled back from Hadley and studied me carefully. Busted. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.

"Absolutely, my love." I nodded. I did my best to hide the lie. I'm sure she'd ask me about it again later, but she knew I didn't want to talk about it then. "I have to run an errand for the King. Liam will stay with you. Liam, can I see you in the hall for a second?"

Sookie brought Hadley over to the couch and they sat down. Liam stepped out in the hall with me and I closed the bedroom door.

"What's going on?"

"I need you to keep Sookie awake while I'm gone."

"Where are you going?"

"To kill her molesting monster of an uncle."

Liam's eyes widened a moment. "That's not something you should keep from her."

"I'll tell her I did it. I just don't want her to see it while I'm doing it."

"Aren't you crafty," Liam muttered.

"Don't let her go to sleep. I'll be back before dawn." I replied. Liam walked back into the bedroom and closed the door. I motioned the Were guards back to their post at the bedroom door and moved at vampire speed downstairs and out the front door. I jumped into the night sky and headed toward Mississippi.


	18. Chapter 18

**18.**

**A/N: Sorry for another delay! Between family coming into town and unexpectedly getting caught up in the Final Four (when I don't even follow college basketball, but I heart you anyway Joey!), and family coming into town again, I didn't get any writing time. Please forgive me!**

**~Sookie~**

"Ah, more coffee, ladies." Liam gestured grandly when the bedroom door opened and a human servant entered with yet another silver serving tray for Hadley and myself. Hadley's eyes widened. Liam was overwhelming her. Queen Sophie Anne had told her a little bit about Liam, but she apparently doesn't know him well enough to have really done him justice.

"Liam, I wasn't going to say anything because I didn't want to be rude or hurt your feelings, but humans really don't drink this much coffee this late at night. I mean, sooner or later I have to sleep and at this rate, I'm not going to sleep until sometime next week!" I protested.

Liam seemed to be in his element when he was hosting guests and since he couldn't – or wouldn't – put this kind of effort into the Queen, Hadley and I were his victims.

"But you haven't seen each other in ages," Liam countered. "You'll want to have time to catch up. Plus, you hardly had any time with Eric; you'll want to see him when he gets back, right?"

Yes, Eric's "errand for the King." I could roll that one out and fertilize the lawn. Something about that just didn't feel right. Unless Godric was sending Eric back to New Orleans to see what was happening there in Sophie Anne's absence? Maybe he wanted him off the premises while the negotiations were going on? But then why was I still here? It seemed odd that Eric would leave me behind.

"You know what Eric's doing right now, don't you, Liam?" I accused, squinting my eyes suspiciously at him.

"My stars, Sookie. You have better radar than NASA!"

"And?" I prompted.

"He'll tell you about it when he returns." Liam dismissed. "It is not up to me. So let's all be good so the Prince doesn't throw a fit and just pretend this conversation didn't happen."

"I smell a rat," I grumbled.

"There's a whole little tribe of them. But I don't think you've really experienced Eric throwing a fit yet. Believe me, I'd just as soon avoid it." Liam replied. "Drink the coffee." I wondered if what happened at the Fellowship of the Sun could be considered a fit, but that seemed pretty controlled to me. Liam turned his attention back to the television and I turned mine back to Hadley.

"I've missed you so much, Hadley. Why didn't you ever get in contact with me or Jason?"

_I couldn't!_ "You know how it is, Sookie." Hadley glanced nervously over at Liam. She was clearly uncomfortable having any sort of confidential conversation with me when Liam was around. Crap. And Liam had some other mission he was on and I was sure he was not about to leave us alone. How could Eric do this to me? He knew I needed to pick Hadley's brain. Why did he ensure that I wouldn't be alone with her to do it? Why doesn't he share these things with me?

I couldn't feel anything amiss with him. Everything seemed…even, was the only word I could use to describe it. No anger, no fear, no determination, no happiness, no nothing; just the status quo. And that made me even more suspicious. I wondered if he could feel my resentment at his ability to mask his feelings from me. That was the only thing I could reason out because every now and then, something slipped through that he couldn't control, but it wasn't long enough to really identify what it was. But then I wondered if maybe my reception wasn't a little fuzzy if he was far away. Maybe things just weren't coming in clearly. I had no idea where he was.

"How it is?" I prompted her.

"How caught up in everything you get." She smiled. _How obsessed you become; how your own life begins to revolve around them and the hours they keep._ Was I the _only_ one immune to this? Granted, my sleeping hours have changed a bit since becoming involved with Eric, but so had his and so that compensated for it. But obsessed? I was not obsessed. Wait, was I? No, I was clearly able to function without being in Eric's presence. I still possessed the ability to be pissed off and irritated at him and had no compunction about letting him know it. And I certainly wasn't afraid of him. I was afraid of what he might do to others in defense of me, but I wasn't afraid for myself.

"Are you happy?"

"I am." Hadley smiled. "The Queen is good to me." That much seemed to be true. "And what's more, she'll protect my son, Hunter." _Sookie, I think he's like you! You have to help him! I couldn't stand it if something happened to him._

"You have a son?" My throat went dry and a knot formed in my stomach. Hadley thought he had telepathy and the Queen _knew_ about him? I knew she wanted me, but would she exploit a child? I bet she would.

"With my ex-husband. His name is Hunter, he's five and he lives with Remy. He's adorable. I don't get to see him as much as I would want to given the hours I keep now, Hunter's usually asleep." _The less the Queen sees him the better. Detectives came to the house investigating something that happened in the neighborhood. Hunter can't control himself the way you can. He's just like you were at that age. Sookie, _please_ help him!_

"You must miss him very much." I stumbled over my words. Clearly, Hadley didn't want Liam to hear about Hunter's ability. I assumed because she didn't want him exposed to any more vampires than the ones that already had him on their radar. It was just like Eric feared for me.

"I would love to meet him sometime." I smiled brightly. "I'm sure Eric would too."

"Eric? The sheriff of Area 5?" Hadley seemed confused. Suddenly, it was like her mind had a hole in it, just like Ginger and some of the other humans at Fangtasia. _He'd take him for himself. The Queen is upset with him. He didn't tell her about you, but she knows, Sookie, and she knows about Hunter. She's protecting him now, but one day, when he's older, she'll want him._

"Yes, Eric." My smile tightened and I tried to keep my tone light. "He's – well, I guess you could call him my boyfriend." I ignored Liam's snickering. 'Boyfriend' did sound silly attached to Eric, but what else was I going to call him? "Have you met him before?"

"No, but of course, I've heard of him." Again, I was coming up against that hole there. It was frustrating as hell. How could she live with the Queen of Louisiana and never have met her sheriffs? That didn't seem right. Then again, there was still a lot I didn't know about this world.

"Would you excuse me for a second?" I asked sweetly. Liam looked over at me and arched a suspicious eyebrow, but I scurried out the French doors. He knew I wouldn't be able to get far from there anyway. I was resourceful, but _I _wasn't the one with the ability to fly.

I stepped out on the balcony and dialed Eric's cell phone. He picked up on the first ring. "Hello, my love."

"Eric, I'm sorry to bother you. Are you busy?"

"I am a little busy at the moment, yes. But I always have time for you, my beauty."

"I need Fintan's phone number."

"What's the matter?"

"Hadley has a son and she thinks he's a telepath."

"Yes, I know."

"How do you know that?"

"She told me."

"She's never met you," I countered.

"I glamoured her, dear one. I'll explain later."

I wasn't sure if I was annoyed on Hadley's behalf or happy he got information out of her that he apparently didn't have time to share with me.

"I need to tell Fintan about him."

"It's not going to change his mind about Hadley. And what makes you think he doesn't know already, lover?"

"He doesn't; I know it." I insisted. I didn't believe that Fintan would write the child off like that; especially if he knew he was "special." It appeared he wasn't going to help Hadley, but I couldn't accept that he wouldn't help Hunter.

"Why don't we talk about this when I get back?" His voice was very calm and soothing, a sharp contrast to my mounting anxiety. I couldn't really feel his influence – and I was pretty sure if he felt I was anxious, he'd try to calm me down - I wondered again if it was because he might be too far away. I still wasn't sure of the logistics of this bond.

"Where _are_ you?"

"I'll explain when I return, my sweet, I promise."

"Yes, you will. My bullshit meter is off the chart." I informed him sternly and he chuckled. I'm glad he was so damn amused. "Fintan's number."

He sighed heavily into the phone, but gave me the number. It really didn't make sense for him to be the go-between anyway anymore now that Fintan and I had contact. And I hadn't seen or talked to my grandfather since the Fellowship Church and I wanted to know that he was all right.

"Are you safe right now, Eric?"

"Yes, of course, my love," he answered immediately and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Please do me a favor and don't rush off to meet Fintan anywhere this evening. Make arrangements to see him tomorrow when Quinn can accompany you." This time I sighed heavily. "Humor me, please, Sookie."

"All right," I sighed again. "But only because when you're not frustrating as all hell, you're kinda cute."

"And I'll use it to my advantage whenever I can."

"No kidding." I muttered and disconnected the call. I quickly dialed the number Eric gave me before I forgot it. He answered on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Fintan?"

"Yes."

"It's Sookie."

"Are you well, child?"

"Yes. Eric healed me. Thank you so much for whatever that was you did in the church. I'm a little hazy on it all. I need to talk to you."

"You sound upset."

"Fintan, Hadley has a child."

"Yes, I know," he admitted. "I check in on him now and again. I am not worried about him. He's with his father, away from the vampires. He hasn't shown any magical qualities."

"Hadley's pretty sure he's a telepath."

Silence.

"She is certain?"

"Not completely, but yeah. She's hoping I can help him. Hunter has 'the Queen's protection' right now, but Hadley thinks the Queen is going to want him when he's older. She says he can't control it now and I couldn't either at his age and he's exposed himself at least once before. Hadley thinks the Queen wants us both so I can train Hunter how to use it."

"Does your vampire know this?"

"Yes, but I think he just found out. He's not here right now, but he said he knew and he glamoured Hadley." I rushed to explain. "Fintan, I have to help him. _We_ have to help him. We can't let him be brought up by the Queen and end up enslaved by her."

"You're right," he sounded thoughtful. "He might have enough fae blood that we can remove him from the human world."

"With his father?"

"No." And it sounded pretty non-negotiable too. "I considered that option with you, but I couldn't bear to break Adele's heart like that and the dangers that were presented to you were…able to be dealt with." I wondered if he'd ever tell me what these mysterious threats were.

"And he'd be safe wherever you are?"

"Safer than he is now, but the Prince does have enemies. He'd still need to be guarded closely."

"Can we talk about this? Can I see you?" I sounded a little whiny, but I didn't particularly care. Wasn't a girl _supposed _to be whiny to her grandfather? Even if that grandfather looked like he could be my big brother. That did make thinking of him in that context kinda of odd.

"I can meet you tomorrow. Can you get away during the day? I understand the vampire has hired you a bodyguard, one apparently more qualified than the waste of life that was with you the other day."

"Yes, he's a weretiger named Quinn."

"I'm not impressed."

I rolled my eyes. I really wasn't surprised. "Well, he's supposed to be the best. Where should we meet you?"

"There's a pool on the king's property and a pool house next to it. Do you know it?"

"Yes, I've seen it." Should I be surprised that Fintan knew Godric's property so well? Just how closely was I watched without my knowledge?

"I'll meet you there at noon."

"You can get onto the property all right? Do I need to talk to a guard or something?"

"Yes, child," he laughed. "I'll be fine. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll talk. Make sure Hadley is not with you." It stung a little that he didn't want to see or meet Hadley, but I supposed it made sense. He looked too much like Jason. She was…close…with the vampire Queen. How would we explain him? And he didn't even want to meet me in the first place.

"Thank you, Fintan." I said softly.

"He is my blood, dear child, as are you. I will do what I can for as long as I can."

And then there was silence on the other end of the line. I hung up the phone and glanced back towards the French doors leading into the bedroom. What would Hadley do if Fintan took Hunter away to protect him? Would she be alright with it if she knew he was safe? Would Fintan and I have to come up with some kind of story for where Hunter went or would he just go missing? Hadley would have no closure and neither would her ex-husband who probably wouldn't even be able to come up with a plausible theory. At least Hadley might suspect that I could somehow have been involved.

_Why_ did she dump this at my feet? How had my life so suddenly been turned inside out? Why was I chosen? It's been all of a week and a half since I met Eric and everything in my life is so drastically different than it was. Fairies, vampires, Werewolves, weretigers, God knew what else; supernatural factions threatening war against each other. How did I end up right in the middle of it all? Why _me_?

I looked up into the stars and recognized some of the constellations Eric pointed out. I thought of that night and sighed. It was peaceful up there with him; I felt like nothing could touch me. I had since learned that was not the case. In fact, I was very vulnerable.

I stared up at the cosmos for a few more minutes and sighed, then whispered, "Where _are_ you, Eric?" before I turned and walked back inside.

**~Eric~**

My phone screamed in my pocket. I hate interruptions. I left Bartlett quivering on the floor and fished my phone out. Sookie's number scrolled across the screen and I took a moment to center myself.

"Hello, my love."

"Eric, I'm sorry to bother you. Are you busy?" I frowned at bit as I heard her anxious voice. I couldn't feel her from this far away so I couldn't rely on our bond to calm her down.

"I am a little busy at the moment, yes. But I always have time for you, my beauty." I nudged my toe into Barlett's side where he whimpered in a heap of pathetic cowardice. He was still alive. Good.

"I need Fintan's phone number."

That gave me pause. I pulled my attention away from Bartlett and zeroed in on her voice. I could hear her breathing over the phone and it was faster than normal. "What's the matter?"

"Hadley has a son and she thinks he's a telepath."

Oh. If that's all, "Yes, I know."

"How do you know that?"

"She told me."

"She's never met you."

"I glamoured her, dear one. I'll explain later." I looked back down at her dying kin. Just the sound of her voice while I was in the presence of such hideous evil wasn't sitting right with me. She was everything that was right and he was everything that was wrong. I was willing to bet he was the one that first exposed her to darkness.

Something he was paying dearly for now.

"I need to tell Fintan about him."

"It's not going to change his mind about Hadley. And what makes you think he doesn't know already, lover?"

"He doesn't; I know it."

"Why don't we talk about this when I get back?"

"Where _are_ you?"

"I'll explain when I return, my sweet, I promise." And I was very much not looking forward to that.

"Yes, you will. My bullshit meter is off the chart." I smirked briefly at the tone she took with me. _No one _took that tone with me. But I wasn't an idiot. I was in trouble; or her version of it anyway. "Fintan's number."

I sighed heavily into the phone, but gave her the number anyway. She was going to bug the shit out of Fintan and I was looking forward to it. If I couldn't kill the fairy, at least I could annoy the hell out him.

"Are you safe right now, Eric?"

"Yes, of course, my love." She was worried about me. I couldn't recall someone being legitimately worried about me before. I grinned again, briefly, until another thought occurred to me. "Please do me a favor and don't rush off to meet Fintan anywhere this evening. Make arrangements to see him tomorrow when Quinn can accompany you." This time _she_ sighed deeply and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face. No, no one treated me the way she boldly did.

And yes, I was in trouble.

"Humor me, please, Sookie."

"All right. But only because when you're not frustrating as all hell, you're kinda cute."

"And I'll use it to my advantage whenever I can."

"No kidding." I heard her mutter and I disconnected the call.

Well, that was a pleasant little diversion from the task at hand.

My face lost all trace of good humor and amusement as I glared back down at the old man dying at my feet.

Bartlett here wasn't doing well. He already lost one hand, a few fingers on the other and another important appendage. Unfortunately, I was going to have to leave soon if I was going to make it back to Texas by daybreak.

"Why are you doing this?" He panted out. He was old and wouldn't withstand that kind of pain for much longer.

"For Sookie."

"My niece?"

"She's not _your_ anything, you sick piece of shit. She's _my_ love and you terrorized her." I hissed. It was the first real emotion I had showed him since I entered this miserable little hovel he called a home. He was practically living among his fellow snakes.

"One like you…cannot be capable…of love." His breathing was labored and his heart was failing him. I could hear it as plainly as his words. I was hoping to make him suffer a little longer, but his already frail health might get him first. His weak, slow heart rate rang out like a countdown, morbidly descending to its last beat.

"You have not begun to witness what I am capable of. You took someone who was beautiful and pure and showed her something ugly and dark. Her eyes are not as bright as they should be. Her smile reaches almost to her eyes but not quite. You taught her suspicion where she should only have known joy. You did not take care of my love and that is why you suffer now."

"Who are you?" He rasped, looking up, up, up at me.

"I am your death." I finally dropped my fangs so he could see me for who I was and know nothing but terror at the hour of his death. He couldn't scream now; he no longer possessed the strength.

I crouched down as the life drained from his face. He'd lost too much blood and nothing could save him now. I sat back on my heels with my elbows on my knees. I considered leaving him to die alone. It was every human's worst nightmare. It's what he deserved after all. But instead, I decided that I would stay and witness his last breath, his final heartbeat. It only took a few more moments.

Strange. Even in death, this monster didn't look at peace. That was too bad for him and there was no one here to absolve him of his sin. And there never would be, for I planned to bury him on my way back where no one would find him; where he would lay in perpetual unrest.


	19. Chapter 19

**19.**

**A/N: Everyone finished Dead Reckoning? If not, you may want to wait to read this chapter. It's not especially spoilery, but there's shades of spoilers. It worked out real well for me that we found out so much about Fintan! So many answers! Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I have just written the end of the story. But don't worry, we've got a while before we get to it. ;) It's a big relief when after 19 chapters you've finally figured out what your story is about!**

**~Eric~**

I touched down onto the balcony and immediately could tell Liam did his job in keeping Sookie awake. I could feel she was exhausted, but she was still up. Time for the confession. She took my slaughter of Gabe mostly in stride, but she didn't know him. And I actually killed him _while_ he was caught in the act of attacking her. I don't know when the last time was that she saw Bartlett for sure, but I knew it was quite some time. Bartlett died for past crimes, not a recent one.

Liam slipped out when he saw me land and Sookie was alone on the couch. I should have called him after I dumped Bartlett's body and told him to let her go to sleep. That would at least give me the opportunity to clean up before I spoke to her and to work out what I was going to say.

It was too late for that though because of course, she felt me and turned to the door.

"Cheese and rice, Eric! What happened?"

What was cheese and rice anyway? Did they go together? I never heard of a human even eating a dish like that. Maybe Liam would know. He was pretty up on the culinary habits of mortals.

Sookie jumped up off the couch and rushed over to me. I was grimy and bloody, but it wasn't my blood and grime. "I'm fine."

"What happened? Were you attacked?" She was worried. It was still a novelty to have anyone genuinely worry about me and unfortunately, that came with something else I wasn't used to feeling…guilt. I wasn't used to being held responsible for my actions. On a certain level, of course, I was. I was responsible to Godric, to Sophie Anne and to the Authority, at least in theory.

"No, lover, it's not my blood."

"Then who's is it?"

"Bartlett's."

Even if I couldn't feel her confusion, it was there all over her face. I could see her wonder 'Bartlett who?'

"Your Uncle Bartlett, Sookie, he died tonight. By my hand."

She blinked a few times and shook her head. Then she furrowed her brow and took a step back. Denial.

"You killed Uncle Bartlett?" She frowned. "Why?"

"For what he did to you and your cousin when you were children."

"But how did you _know?_" She asked. "Fintan? Did Fintan tell you?"

"No, Hadley did while she was glamoured."

"Is that why you glamoured her? To get information out of her about me? You couldn't have just asked?"

"No. I glamoured her to get information out of her about the Queen. I was going to ask you about Bartlett, but after the first meeting with Fintan you didn't seem to want to talk about it then and I didn't want to force you, so I was going to wait, then the Fellowship got you and you were recovering, then I saw the opportunity with Hadley and figured I didn't need to upset you by asking. It's only been a few days since you talked to Fintan about it."

And still I was surprised by my need to explain myself to her. I wasn't going to hide what I did, but I didn't want her to leave me over or it or something equally ridiculous. I did tell her I'd kill anyone that hurt her.

"Eric, he was an old man."

"So that meant he shouldn't have paid for his crimes against you?" I could feel my anger mounting. The only person who fought for that little girl was her grandmother. That bastard shaped the way she saw the world and not in a good way either. "Sookie, just because by sheer luck he was able to live as long as he did, doesn't make what he did to you any less vile. If you're looking for an apology from me, you'll be waiting a long time because I'm _not_ sorry I killed him and if anyone else has done something unspeakable to you, they'll meet the same fate. I told you I'd kill anyone that hurt you."

"Eric, people toss that phrase around like nothing, they don't follow through with it!"

"_I_ do! I'm not all talk. I am not _people_."

"He could have gone to jail!"

"Then why hasn't he?" I asked lowering my voice. I didn't want the Queen's contingent to hear any of this argument. I didn't sense any of them near, but they had very good hearing. "If you wanted him in jail, Sookie, why didn't you go to the human police?" She didn't have to say anything because I could feel her answer. She was scared and ashamed. "Justice has been served."

"I can't thank you for that, Eric," she whispered. "It's not how I was raised. I can't celebrate someone's death." Especially if she knew how gruesome it was.

"You don't have to thank me; you just have to accept that it was done." I forced my voice to a more gentle tone. I could feel her remorse, but I could also feel her reluctant relief. Deep down inside, she was happy he was dead and I didn't need her to admit it out loud to me.

"Dawn's coming," I said. I stepped to her and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to get cleaned up."

"I'm meeting Fintan tomorrow at noon. He's meeting me down at the poolhouse." She said hallowly as I passed by. I stopped and turned around.

"Take Quinn." I said. "They should meet each other."

She nodded but said nothing further. I wish I could hear her thoughts, or even if she could hear mine just this one time so she could hear that I was sorry she was upset. I wasn't sorry for what I did though and even after seeing her reaction, I'd still kill him if I could go back and do it again.

I went into the bathroom and took a shower. When I reemerged, Sookie was in bed and fast asleep. I kissed her shoulder softly, then lay down and died for the day.

**~Sookie~**

I awoke not too long before I had to meet Fintan. Eric was dead to the world. I was uneasy with what he did and confused about it. No one had ever loved me with this kind of intensity before. I felt like I now had to watch everything I said for fear of repercussions against people I knew or loved.

I know he viewed the world differently than I did. He saw what he did as justice, but I still thought two wrongs don't necessarily make a right. He was judge, jury and executioner. Shouldn't he have talked to me first about this before he just unilaterally decided that someone in _my_ family should die? But he didn't because he knew what I would say. In his mind it would be better to ask for forgiveness than permission. In my mind, it was still murder.

I was raised a good Christian woman and I didn't know that I could rejoice in Uncle Bartlett's death. No matter how many times I wished he'd just go away over the years, but that was just what I had wanted. I wanted him to just _go away_ and leave me alone. And he did. Gran made him go away. I didn't know if he continued to do the things he did to other little girls or just to Hadley, maybe he did.

I didn't have a lot of time before I was supposed to meet my grandfather, so I quickly dressed and dragged a brush through my hair. I hoped I could find someone downstairs to point me in the direction of breakfast. When I opened the door, Quinn was standing there.

"Good morning, Miss Stackhouse."

"Sookie."

"Sookie. You look a little…grumpy." I was a lot grumpy. My boyfriend killed my uncle last night. Just because he's a vampire doesn't mean murder isn't against the law for him.

"I need to eat. I'm meeting my grandfather this morning."

"Oh. Does Mr. Northman know?"

"Yes," I snapped and pushed past him. "He does. And we're not leaving the grounds anyway. He's coming to me. He's a fairy."

"This Fintan?"

"Yes. Eric wants you to meet him and then you can go." I walked down the stairs and a human woman caught my eye.

"Good morning, miss," she greeted.

"Hi."

"I'm Nicole. I'm one of the King's daypeople. Is there something I can do for you?" She was a pretty petite brunette with big blue eyes. A quick cruise through her head didn't reveal anything particularly nasty or haughty about her.

"I'm just looking for breakfast and then I'm going to head down to the pool."

"Oh sure, miss. Mr. Burnham is already in the kitchen as well."

She led me there. I didn't need an escort and this morning, it seemed I had two.

Bobby was in the kitchen seated at the breakfast bar with his arm in a sling. He was drinking coffee and eating a large plate of eggs, bacon and grits.

"How's the arm?" I asked, sitting across from him.

"It's all right." He shrugged with his good shoulder.

"I'm sorry you got shot." I mustered and he shrugged again. He wasn't particularly happy to see me. Big shocker.

"Okay, listen." I said pouring myself some orange juice. "I'm having a bad morning and could really do without the venomous thoughts."

He arched an eyebrow at me. "Miss Stackhouse, I haven't said anything offensive to you. I'm sitting here eating breakfast."

"You're thinking you don't want to have to entertain Eric's blonde bimbo this morning and I can only tell you that I have no desire to keep your company either. I don't know if you've met John Quinn here. Eric's hired him as my bodyguard. Yes, a bodyguard, Bobby. He seems to think that once the word gets around that I have _telepathy_ that I will be in danger." I loved how his eyes widened on the word telepathy. "Yes, I have read every thought you have had since I've had the misfortune to meet you and I'm just not in the mood this morning to pretend I don't know you instantly hated me on sight."

"Wow," was all he said to my tirade. He was a little stunned and couldn't mention much more.

"Well, put. You've quite a way with eloquent diction."

I grabbed a bagel and my orange juice and left the kitchen and the house with Quinn on my trail. I shoved my bagel down my throat en route. When I got down to the poolhouse, Fintan was waiting.

"Wow, a real fairy." Quinn murmured when we approached.

"Hello, child." Fintan leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "You may leave, tiger." He carelessly dismissed Quinn with an absent flick of the wrist. Very princely. I wondered if this was how children of divorces felt when they were passed off from one parent to the other.

"That's alright, I'll stick around." Quinn refused, crossing his arms across his expansive chest.

"I'm okay with Fintan." I assured Quinn. "He's my grandfather. He's looked out for me all my life. Eric said you would only be needed if he or Fintan couldn't be around."

"That is not my understanding _at this time_." Quinn stressed. What the hell? Eric assured me this was not going to be an issue.

"You may go stand down by the fence." Fintan permitted. He seemed like he was quite proud of himself for being so accommodating. "She will be in your line of sight, but you will be out of hearing distance. I'll give you that concession _at this time_." I had a feeling this was going to get ugly.

"Sorry, Fairy, no deal." Quinn refused again.

On the one hand, I thought I should step in and try to diffuse the mounting tensions. Quinn was thinking not nice thoughts about my grandfather. He was positive he could take the fairy in a fight. Fintan…well, I didn't understand what he was thinking, but the tone was pretty clear. So on the other hand, I was curious who would win this little power struggle. I didn't know either of these men. Eric trusted Quinn with my safety, but Fintan was a blood relative and blood was thicker than water.

"I'll make the offer again, shifter, and then I won't be so nice." Fintan said. "My father is the Prince of Fairies and I have considerable power."

"Not in my world." Quinn growled.

Fintan shrugged. Then he raised his hand, palm toward Quinn and I shrieked as a beam of light shot out and hit Quinn square in the chest. He flew back about a dozen feet and when he landed, he was a beautiful orange and black striped tiger, who was snarling and growling.

"Heeeerre, kitty, kitty, kitty…" Fintan cooed.

I was in awe. Not only had I never seen a more beautiful animal, but Fintan shot light out of his hand. I mean, holy shit! Quinn advanced on my grandfather.

Fintan "fired" again, this time right in front of the tiger and immediately stopped Quinn in his tracks.

"The next one will be a fatal shot between the eyes. It's just a matter of – what would you call it, Sookie? - upping the voltage." Fintan warned. Quinn roared. I jumped, but much to my satisfaction, didn't scream or make any further cowardly noises. "You may go down by the fence or I will send you there. But my granddaughter is quite obviously safe with me."

There was a standoff, which ended with Quinn stalking away to a spot under the trees by the fence. He continued to pace there, keeping his eyes on Fintan and myself.

I looked over at Fintan, my breathing was elevated and my heart rate was pounding as my brain processed what I'd just witnessed. I took deep breaths. Fintan seemed to understand I needed a minute or two and he walked over to a bench and sat down. Once I got my breathing back under control, I joined him.

"Are you afraid, child?"

"No, just stunned." Though my breathing had returned to normal, my hands still shook. "Is that – is that something that I could do?"

"Yes, I believe you have that power. You need to learn to harness it. I can teach you."

"That's a lot of power."

"There's a lot of light in you, Sookie. The spark in you is bright. I will show you how to use it. It is only effective if you can put everything you are into it. The training is exhaustive, but once you master it, you can call it whenever you need to. But you have to mean it, Sookie. Whether you aim to kill or not, you have to want to."

I never imagined myself in a position to kill before. That definitely would have come in handy in the Fellowship for sure. But could I want to kill like that? Even though I didn't necessarily intend to, would I want to? I think I wouldn't have wanted to kill Gabe; I just wanted to get away. I'm happy I don't have to worry about him coming after me or anyone else ever again, but that would be achieved just as well if he were in jail. Did Gabe need to be dead? Did Bartlett _need_ to be dead? Eric clearly needed them to be dead, but did I?

"Eric killed Uncle Bartlett." I said hollowly.

"He deserved it."

"He had his blood all over him."

"You mourn that monster?" Fintan asked. He sounded incredulous and angry.

"I don't know that I can celebrate it. I'm the reason he's dead."

"He should have been killed years ago, child. I wanted to do it myself. Every time I worked myself up over it and set out to do it, something came up with one of you children, usually _you_ and you were my priority."

"Eric told me once that he would kill anybody who hurt me and I don't think I really believed him. In three days, he's killed two people because of me."

"They were criminals, Sookie. Bartlett Hale was a criminal in any society, in any world. He died for his crimes. Eric killed him and that scum from the Fellowship because he _loves_ you. We love differently than you do, my child. You would not have these thoughts if you were raised fairy like I wanted you to be. In Eric's world, and in _my_ world, hurting you is a crime punishable by death. It will not be the last time he does it."

I didn't understand that. I couldn't understand that. I mean, on a certain level, yes, I understood his words. They saw it as a crime punishable by death, but they weren't _in_ those worlds, they were in _my_ world, right? Or was I now in Eric's?

"There should be a certain set of morals in _any_ world, Fintan." I argued. He threw back his head and laughed. I didn't see what was so amusing. I arched a very annoyed eyebrow at him.

"My dear child, there _are_ morals in our world, but they're different. This is what I'm telling you. What Eric did is perfectly acceptable in the supernatural world; the world _you_ are now, rather unfortunately, a part of."

I dropped my head to his shoulder and my eyes welled up with tears. I felt his awkwardness as his hand came up and started patting my shoulder, almost like he read in a book this was a way to comfort humans. Just his presence was comforting though. I found that interesting. He was abrasive and rough around the edges, but his presence was soothing, almost reassuring.

I realized as his odd pats became instinctive rubs that I loved him. I have spent maybe a total of an hour in his presence, but I loved him in that unconditional way close family did; this near stranger who knew me almost as well as I knew myself, yet I knew hardly at all. Is this what he meant by they loved differently? Eric and Fintan both said I exhibited many fairy qualities. Was that one of them?

"As I said, you were raised human and you see things differently. I have done things in the past to protect you and stay near you that I guarantee you would find immoral, but they were necessary, and sometimes just fun."

"Protect me from what?"

"Many things."

He was going to leave it at that, but I decided not to let him. I looked at the Bengal tiger off in the distance. How much my life had changed in such a small amount of time.

I picked my head up off his shoulder and looked at him. "Fintan, I need to know. I understand you didn't want me exposed to this world, but it found me anyway and I want to know. I want to know things from you. You're my family; I trust you."

"Then let me take you away from this world." He renewed his request. "Let me bring you where you _belong_, where you will thrive. You are old enough to make that decision. I can take you where legions of your own kind will protect you."

"No. Unless it's someplace Eric can go, and I'm sure it's not, you'll just have to arm me with the knowledge to make it in this world."

I gave him my most fierce glare.

He smiled back at me and stroked my hair.

"You are so like my Adele, Sookie," he continued smiling. "I loved her very much. I hated that she wouldn't come away with me. I could, and did, give her so much more than Mitchell. She loved me too, I could feel it. I resented the things I had to stoop to to be near you, to be near any of you. I had to get very creative in my methods, which I will not share with you. Suffice it to say, I have always been near."

"You said I have been exposed to the supernatural world before." I said. "To who? What happened?"

"Well, there are different fae that know of you."

"Fairies? Or like these sprites and elves and demons?"

"My closest friend is a demon and so he, of course, knows of you. He has looked in on you from time to time, as well. It is mostly fae who have been curious about you over the years. Niall has many enemies. They would hurt a loved one of his to weaken him. There have been threats to you in that capacity over the years." He was very matter-of-fact in his explanation. It almost sounded as if he removed himself. "And now the vampires."

"Fintan, you have seen how Eric -" I began immediately.

"He loves you, yes. It is plain to see. But it doesn't mean he's _safe _for you. My concerns over your exposure to that world are many. Your telepathy will not be able to be kept secret for long. And when it is, the vampires will clamor for you. They have a lot of dealings with humans and you will be invaluable to them. He can't fight everyone; he's already fighting his queen. His maker is fair and will fight for you. Godric is very fierce, though he doesn't come across that way."

"We won't stay here, I'm sure. I want to return to my friends and my brother and my job. But it's very peaceful here. I know that might sound strange given how violent this world seems to be, but there's no other way to describe it. It's beautiful. Liam has excellent taste in art. You might be interested in this, Eric has these two statues. He told me a little about them last night. I can't pronounce the words, but he said they translated to 'my love' and 'my treasure.'"

"Naida and Tana." Fintan murmured.

"I guess. He didn't tell me their names."

I was stunned when Fintan described the statues in perfect detail – well, I recognized the one at Godric's. I didn't see the one at Eric's house yet.

"Yes, that's them."

"Their legend is that they hold magic. The fairy twins Naida and Tana were princesses that fell in love outside their race. Their father forbade them to marry their loves so they ran away. However, they were kidnaped by a rival faction and tortured to punish their prince father for past wrong doing. The Lord who kidnaped the twins fell in love with them, but they did not return his love for they had already lost their hearts. The Lord banished the girls and nobody knows what happened to them, but the while he loved them, the Lord had their likeness casted in stone. The statues have changed owners over the centuries and their owners have always found love outside their race. It is very rare that the stones are ever together."

"Eric said that Liam found them and immediately thought he should have them."

"Unfortunately, fate has brought you together." Fintan grumbled. "How soon after you met did you consummate your relationship?"

I blushed furiously. This was not suitable talk for a girl to have with her grandfather! But these supernatural creatures thought of sex very differently than humans did.

"Umm…that same night." I muttered.

"You two were chosen by Naida and Tana,"Fintan nodded knowingly. "He will do everything in his power to keep you safe and love you, Sookie. That is what the princesses demand. They will accept no less."

This was a very enlightening visit, both literally and figuratively.

"What about Hunter?" I asked changing the subject.

"He cannot stay where he is."

"Hadley isn't sure he's telepathic, she's just strongly suspects."

"It is likely he is." Fintan said. "I have only seen him once and it was at a great distance. I did not see any obvious fairy qualities, but if he had the essential spark, he will be telepathic. He is of my line."

"You said telepathy isn't fae." I retorted. "You said it came from my mother."

"It isn't _fairy_, but it is fae." Fintan sighed. "I told you it came from your mother because I was still hoping I could convince you to leave the vampire and stay away from the supernatural world. Now that I know that's impossible, I will tell you that the gift of telepathy has been given to all my descendants that possess the essential fairy spark and only those descendants. The gift was bestowed by my demon friend."

"It's no gift, Fintan," I whispered. "At least, it hasn't been to me. And if that little boy has it, he's got a rough road ahead of him. You saw how I was treated. I would give anything not to have it."

"It is a blessing and a curse." Fintan said. "You were the first one to get it and when Desmond told me what he'd done, I saw only the good things about it. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be raised in the human world with it. I did try to remove it, but I can't."

"You have that kind of magic?"

"I have magic; unfortunately, not strong enough for that."

"Well, can this Desmond remove it?"

"No, Sookie. It is part of you; you were born with it." He did seem truly regretful about that. Obviously, it was all fun and games until somebody got hurt. "I will go get Hunter and bring him to my father. If he has the essential spark, he will likely be able to do more, like you."

"But what of Hunter's father? Remy, he'll be distraught." I pleaded. I wanted Hunter to be safe, but I didn't want a poor innocent man to have to go through the anguish of losing a child.

"The human is not my concern, Sookie." Fintan replied. "I can spare Hunter what you had to live through. If I could have been able to bear breaking Adele's heart, I would have brought you with me as soon as I saw the human world was no place for you, but it is too late for that now and you won't come anyway."

"Apparently, the supernatural world is no place for me either." I countered. "Where _do _I belong now, Fintan?"

"Unfortunately for me, dear child, it seems with your vampire," he grumbled. He didn't seem at all happy with that prospect. I sure hope Eric never got tired of me. "While I am gone, until I contact you again, you stay with him, Sookie. _Only_ with him. Don't even venture out with this tiger. If Queen Sophie Anne did want to procure Hunter for her own, I don't want her to think you had anything to do with his disappearance. If she can't have you, she'll want him for sure."

"How can you be sure?"

"Her lawyer, Mr. Cataliades, is my friend, Desmond. He gave you your telepathy. He would never betray my confidence, but between himself, Hadley and now you, too much of my family is in the circle of evil." I thought that was pretty dramatic myself. "You can trust Desmond, but do not let anyone know your relationship to him, ever. Always let him lead. Now go back to Eric and stay with him until you hear from me again."

"Is everything always this dramatic?"

"Now, child." He said again and I could tell by his face he meant business. I was raised to respect my elders, even though this one hardly looked the part, and rose off the bench with a big sigh. Quinn returned to my side in tiger form.

"Escort her to the house, tiger, don't let her leave until Eric rises for the evening and he is with her." A low rumble came from Quinn and I was pretty sure it would have translated to 'I don't take orders from you, buddy.' Fintan kissed me on the cheek, gave me a quick hug and then popped out of sight.

I looked down at Quinn who's mysterious purple eyes looked back up at me, then he nudged my leg with his snout. Pushy tiger. I sighed and walked back to the house.


	20. Chapter 20

**20.**

**A/N: I know you probably thought I got caught up in the rapture, but alas, I was not called up. I see there are some new readers. Welcome to you! Pull up a comfy chair while I spin a semi-original tale featuring characters that are in no way mine or thought up by me. I like to play with other people's toys. **

**~Eric~**

Rising from the dead each evening is not like waking up from sleep. I do not blissfully swim to the surface like humans do. One minute I am dead; the next I am not. There is no grumbling, sulkiness or pre-caffeine haze. I am alive; I am alert.

And I was feeling Sookie's hot mouth trailing along my chest.

How long she'd been at the happy little tongue bath was unknown to me, but I was definitely feeling that she was not mad at me anymore. I decided to remain perfectly still and see where it went. After all, my breathing couldn't change at all to alert her that I was awake.

"You can't play possum with me, sleepyhead, I feel you awake."

Traitorous blood bond.

She shrieked in delight when I flipped her over onto her back and pinned her beneath me.

"You're playing with fire, lover. Vampires are lust and blood crazed when they wake."

"I've been in the room quite a few times when you've woken up and lived to tell the tale."

"But you haven't been doing this."

"So, what are you saying?" She demanded with a pout. "You don't _like_ waking up this way?"

"On the contrary, I find it exciting. But a vampire's instincts upon waking are for blood. It could be very unhealthy for you, but luckily it's me you're waking up and I can control my urge to fuck you and drain you dry…for the most part."

"I appreciate that," she volleyed back. "And I thank you for the tip, too, because I was going to go bouncing from room to room when I was done with you, but now I'll just stay put."

"Ah, the famed Southern hospitality is thwarted."

"Liam will think of something else to make everyone feel welcome, I'm sure."

She gasped and then moaned as my hand dipped below and my fingers slid into her. She was naked and wet, making me think the tongue bath had lasted a little while. That was awfully convenient. I did not take her while she was recovering from her injuries at the hands of the Fellowship and while it's been only a few days, it's felt like weeks.

I laughed as her fingers glided along my skin and everything tingled. She smiled and laid both palms flat on my chest. She closed her eyes, keeping the dreamy smile on her face and her hands began to glow. I lost my smile completely and stared at my chest wide-eyed. I felt warmth and happiness from Sookie fall over me. When she opened her eyes, the light dimmed.

"Did it work?" She asked.

"That depends," I said, still stunned and looking down at her hands. I was disappointed to see them looking so normal. "What were you trying to do?"

"Anything really. Fintan said I could channel light. He shot Quinn in the chest with, like, lightning out of his hand."

I arched a brow at her. "He _shot_ Quinn?" Great. Quinn was an asshole and while the thought of him getting his ass kicked by the fairy was amusing, I needed him (and I also needed him to not get his ass kicked by fairies, since Niall had some fairy enemies).

"He's alright, but it pissed him off something fierce. He went flying backwards and changed into a tiger and Fintan said he'd teach me how to do it."

She was practically bubbling over with excitement. It was difficult not to get caught up in it. I wanted Sookie to learn how to harness everything within her. I wanted her to be able to defend herself, even _us_ if need be. But with each new thing she learned to do, I was that much more terrified for her safety. Not until she mastered her power would I feel truly at ease.

"What's wrong?" She asked, frowning.

"Nothing, my love."

"Bullshit."

"Not very attractive language for a lady." I chided. "Later, lover," I whispered as I increased the speed of my fingers. Her eyes slammed shut and her mouth fell open. That's what I liked to see: Sookie swept away by passion. It was a beautiful sight and one no one else got to see it but me.

Her fingers grabbed at the sheets and she arched her back, offering herself up to me. My lips feasted on her neck, her collarbone, her breasts, back up to her lips. This wasn't going to be slow at all.

"Eric," she groaned. "I've missed you."

Could she though? Could she miss me as much as I've missed her in mere nights; nights that I've seen her and kissed her and held her, but could not love her like this for fear I'd damage her more than that monster Gabe did; the vile bastard who had his hands all over her soft, smooth flesh, like her repugnant, coward of an uncle before him.

I was driven by my outrage to reclaim her, fueled by further thoughts of the Queen ordering Bill Compton to seduce her to gain her trust. She cried out as I plunged into her with a desire so savage, I almost didn't recognize myself; prepared to brutally reclaim her body as mine alone and giving in to an instinct to ravage and plunder that was a thousand years old.

But the anger and the hate and the savageness drained out of me like a deflating balloon. Her hands framed my face. Contentment, peace, serenity, anything and everything that was the pure opposite of the blinding madness I had just worked up flowed through me now.

I felt myself gaining my center and the light returned. God, I loved this light. I yearned for it; I've killed for it.

"This is some ride, cowboy."

"It's barely started." I replied hoarsely.

"Where did you go?" Her fingers ran gently through my hair and if I could be sick over what I had almost done, I would be. Instead, I felt very guilty. To her credit, she ignored that particular feeling.

"Someplace very dark," I whispered. I dropped my face into the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply. She smelled of sunlight. Sky fae. She would always smell of sunlight.

"Eric," she called softly. "Follow the light."

She began to move her hips and I let her set the pace. I closed my eyes and moved on instinct. She grabbed my shoulders and held tight. I put her in the driver's seat and was prepared to go wherever she led. I was clearly in no place to control things. I moved with her when she rolled us over and I wove my fingers through her silky hair.

She took my hands and held them over my head against the pillow. She shined in the dark bedroom like the aurora borealis. I was willing to bet once she truly harnessed this light to her full potential, it was going to burn the shit out of me.

Answering my earlier need, she set a fast pace and rode on, kissing my neck, my jaw, around my face, clenching her muscles inside tight around me so that my eyes crossed in ecstasy. She never let my hands go but I gave myself to the vulnerability. I actually reveled in it a bit. Just the thought that there was anybody I would allow myself to be vulnerable to took some getting used to. I wouldn't even willingly give absolute control of me to Pam and Godric, unless I was ordered to, but even under that circumstance, my mind wouldn't be vulnerable as well.

The only sound in the room was Sookie's labored breathing. I wondered if she got creeped out by the fact that I didn't breathe at all. If she did, it certainly wasn't the case then.

My thoughts grew more and more erratic and wild as the blinding need in me swelled and then coiled like a snake; the need for Sookie and the undeniable need for her blood. She was whipping me up into a frenzy and I was beginning to think I might bust apart from the pressure building up inside me. She felt intoxicated by the power she had over me now, but I knew she wouldn't abuse it. I was happy to indulge her dangerous game. I was just hoping I wouldn't hurt her when I finally did lose all my control.

Suddenly, she flung herself to my chest and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. My release came with force so volcanic that all it left me with was the ability to whimper her name. Sookie gasped when I bit into her neck. I took one long, slow pull of her blood and savored its taste as it rolled down my throat. What the hell, I had another.

"Don't get greedy, big boy," she gently chided. I fell back against the pillow; my eyes heavy, my mind still spinning and my entire body tingling. I could spend days like this. "Uh, forget something there, buddy?" Sookie poked her finger into my ribs, gave a little jolt and I frowned in response.

"I don't think so, no."

"This!" She said forcefully pointing to the oozing wound at her neck. I leaned up and licked some more off. It was the least I could do.

"No." I said with my lips against her skin.

"Did you say, 'no?'"

"I will heal it tomorrow, I promise. You're going to meet Nan and Sophie Anne tonight. I want them, and their companions, to see it."

"Like a neon sign."

"Yes, my darling. It cannot be bright enough." I settled back down against the pillows. "Come here," I said, and pulled her to me. She settled next to me and I kissed along her forehead, infatuated at the moment with the nearness of her.

"That was crazy, Eric," she whispered. "I thought – I don't know. For a minute, you were so mad -"

"I was. I was violently mad."

"Why?"

"I'd rather not discuss it," I said. "You charmed me right out of it though."

"You don't trust me with it." She was disappointed.

"Sookie, what we just experienced was all because of how much I trust you," I said firmly. "It has only to do with not wanting to upset you. I was spiraling to a very bad place and you caught me and pulled me back. We're a very unlikely team, you and I."

"No kidding," she muttered to my shoulder.

"But we're a very strong team. I love you," I whispered. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at me. "You can't know what it takes for me to say that to you. Until you, not only have I not felt this kind of love for anyone else, but I haven't said the words either. Sometimes, I don't know how I can survive this thing that's between us. This time of these piqued emotions of everything; happiness, love, confusion, anger all of it is so much more than I felt before. I still don't know how it happened so fast, but I no longer care. Making love to you is like riding lightning. There's no other way to describe it. Sometimes I want to savor every moment, and sometimes I can't touch you and be inside of you fast enough. It's maddening. You slammed into my life like a meteor. And when you're gone…I just don't know how I'll survive it. I will love you eternally, Sookie."

I can feel that she was overwhelmed and her eyes filled up with tears. "Please don't do that," I immediately begged.

She dropped down and nuzzled into my shoulder, I suspected so I wouldn't see the tears, but of course I could feel them. "You're a very complex man, Eric," she said. "A few days ago, you tore a man's heart out; God knows what you did to Uncle Bartlett; and here you say such moving things to me. How is it you're capable of all that? How is someone like you possible?"

"Nature's created more baffling creatures than me, I promise you."

"I'm still not sure this isn't all a dream. When we get back to Louisiana and I get settled back into my actual life -" I refrained from telling her that her life was _never_ going to be her version of normal again. "There will need to be a lot of adjustments made. My friends and my brother, I don't think they understand, and I don't know how to make them see what I see."

I tipped her chin up so she could meet my eyes. "They won't ever understand, Sookie, and I will make no attempt to try to show them. I don't have compassion. What happens to anyone else, or what any of them think of me, is of absolutely no consequence to me. I care only for how it affects you. I will not fit in with them and I will not try and they won't want me to. There is a balance you'll have to find between my world and yours and I'll be tolerant and even supportive of your attempt to do so, but they will never understand and the only thing you can really hope to gain is tolerance from them." And if they aren't tolerant and give her a hard time, I will happily scare the ever loving shit out of them until they _are_ tolerant. I have no problem with bending people to my will. I saw judicious use of my glamour in my future.

"Jason will accept you; maybe not at first, but he will," she said with more confidence than I knew she felt. "And Sam…well, if he's _different_ then he'll have to. He'd be a hypocrite not to."

She had absolutely no idea the shifter was in love with her. He wouldn't accept me if I were vampire, shifter, elf, dragon or regular old human. Not that I cared one way or the other. I think our one and only meeting made it quite plain as to where I stood in Sookie's life and she in mine. I still planned to convince her to leave her employment at that backwoods, seedy bar, but I was sure that was going to be an ongoing battle between us. Thus the need for Quinn…who apparently couldn't hold his own against a fairy, no matter that said fairy was likewise apparently very powerful.

"Men in Sam's position frequently are," I murmured pushing a lock of hair that had fallen forward back behind her ear and cupped her face, which was now bruise free, thanks to my blood. Thinking about that gave me another idea. "Sookie, what would you say to me training you to fight?"

"Fight? Like, how, with you?"

"No, not offensively. Self-defense. Martial arts. I could teach you to shoot, too, if you wanted to. I trained Bobby. He's actually quite good when not felled by a bullet."

"I guess that makes sense, huh?" She sounded a little overwhelmed. "How to fight vampires?"

"Vampires, fae, weres, shifters and humans. I can teach you how fight them all, and kill, if need be."

"I don't know if I can kill, Eric."

"You can if there's no other option, Sookie, _everyone_ can if the decision comes down to themselves or their opponent." And I would expect her to.

She shook her head. "I'm not…like that, Eric, I'm not like you."

"Sookie, I refuse to believe you'd let yourself get killed because you were afraid to take your attacker's life instead. And what's more, you'd kill to protect someone you loved. I know that about you." She may not believe it of herself, but I see it inside of her. She'd kill for her brother; she'd kill for me. And now I was going to make damn sure she knew how.

"I just don't know, Eric," she whispered and dropped her gaze.

She didn't have to believe it now. What was important was giving her the knowledge and the training to not be a sitting duck.

"If I can't be with you and a fairy takes out Quinn, Sookie, would you want to be defenseless?"

"No, of course not," she said quickly.

"Then we start later tonight," I nodded satisfied. Right then, I felt the blood in my body come alive. Sookie felt something of it as well because she frowned.

"What _was_ that?"

"We need to get up and get dressed. The king is calling."

"That's how Godric calls you?" She asked amazed.

"Yes."

"Do you call Pam like that?"

"If I need to."

I rose out of bed, flipping on the lights so she could see better on my way to the closet. "Vampires have an odd way of communication."

"Not just vampires, lover." I replied. "That is just another reason I don't want you ever to be in the position of drinking another vampire's blood."

"What…I don't…"

I decided a demonstration was in order. So I stood in the doorway of the closet and called my blood home. Clearly baffled, Sookie rose out of bed stark naked and crossed the room right to me.

"And now you are dead," I shrugged, turning back to the closet, "or at the very least, handy for a snack…or anything else I might be in the mood for."

She stood looking gorgeous in her glory…and her gaping mouth. "How long have you been able to do that? Since the very first time?"

"Yes."

"You left that part out."

"Only because I had no intention of ever using it against you in that way and you'll note, I haven't."

"How big of you," she seethed. Yes, she was quite angry with me.

I disappeared into the closet and pulled clothes off the rack. "Come," I called. "All on your own, and get dressed."

She stomped over and yanked the closest dress in her reach off the hanger. Yes, I was in quite a bit of trouble now. She looked even more glorious than before. Was I sick to be totally turned on by her rage?

"And why is it, might I ask, that I came right over to you, but you're able to take your time going down to Godric?"

"Because I'm over a thousand years old and don't have to come right away when called," I explained. "But there was a time when I would have walked right down there buck naked, like you just did. But even now, there's only so long before I would no longer be able to resist the compulsion of heading right to his side. It will become painful after a time."

"Is that what you meant by not being able to resist the call of your maker?"

"I can't make you kill, Sookie, like he can of me and I of Pam. I can't control you that way. All I can do is call you to my side."

"What if I was being held captive? What if I was chained up?"

"And I didn't know? It would be a torture of you. One of the many reasons I have not done so."

"And what of the other reasons?" She snapped as she finished dressing and sat down on a bench in the closet to forcefully pull on sandals.

I knelt before her and took both her hands in mine. I stamped down the immediate urge to push calm through the bond at her. If she was mad, she was mad. I would not manipulate her…unless she was still pissed when we went downstairs to meet Nan and Sophie Anne.

"I want you by my side, Sookie," I said softly. "But I want you there because you want to be, not because I put you there."

I let go of her hands when I felt that she had calmed down enough.

"Can _I_ do that to you?"

"I honestly don't know." I sat back on my heels and looked up at her. Her eyes were filling with tears she refused to shed. "I'm not even sure I could explain how to do it. But, Sookie, you call me to your side with your emotions. That has been proven quite a few times in the last few days. We are bound much too tightly for me to ignore it if you are in pain or feel in danger or feel upset. Your tears bring me to my knees." I picked up her hands again and one at a time, kissed the inside of her palms. I pushed back up and wound my fingers lightly around the delicate column of her neck. "I've upset you quite a bit in the last 24 hours. How do I make up for it?"

She sighed heavily and tipped her forehead against mine. "Just when I think I can't be surprised again by the things you can do, I get another whammy."

"I know the feeling."

She laughed a bit and poked a finger into my side. I was surprised when I got a bit of a jolt.

"At least I don't electrocute you!" I bit back, mildly annoyed and rubbing the spot that still tingled. She laughed and got me again. I supposed what was good for the goose was good for the gander.


	21. Chapter 21

**21.**

**A/N: Unfortunately some of you have shut off the PM feature, which is all good, but I can't respond to your feedback. So for those of you that have left feedback but turned off the messaging feature, I thank you too!**

**~Eric~**

Godric was in his office when we got downstairs. Isabelle and Liam were at the bottom of the stairs waiting to intercept us. I could sense that both the Queen and her contingent and Nan's and hers were in the great room.

"The King is requesting your presence in his office, sheriff." Isabelle said with a nod.

"Sookie and I are going to take a walk." Liam announced, looping his arm through Sookie's. "We'll just go…well, anywhere but in _there_." He nodded toward the great room and Sookie threw a concerned and questioning look over her shoulder at me as Liam led her away. I knew she wasn't worried about going off with Liam, but she was sure to be wondering why we were being split up.

"Have you found Hugo yet, Isabelle?" I asked as we walked to Godric's office.

"No, not as yet," she replied. She sounded pained. It must have been quite a shock to find out her lover was a traitor. "The weres are still keeping vigil around the compound. I am needed for the negotiations, but they have instructions to call me if there is any sign of him."

"I'm sorry you were hurt in all this, Isabelle."

"He is nothing more than a blip on the radar, Eric," she said flatly. I knew she didn't mean it.

"Why are you escorting me?" I asked and she smirked.

"I am just to run interference if anyone happens upon us. The King was very adamant that he speak with you privately now."

"Wonderful," I replied.

When we reached the door, I walked right in. Isabelle would have knocked and waited for permission. I probably should have done so as a show of respect in front of Isabelle, but Godric long ago forgave my periodic obnoxious behavior and it only bolstered Liam's argument that I acted the full part of a prince. Honestly, I just couldn't help it. I was a prince in my human life and had certain habits when I died that were hard to break. It's how I was raised. And with Godric's people constantly treating me with deference it's easy to fall back into those old habits.

"There's something we need to talk about." Godric said upon my entrance. He gestured for me to sit down. I preferred standing. He dove right in. "The alliance with Sophie Anne."

"Is it falling apart?"

"Not really," he said. "She was a little surprised when she arrived to discover that the alliance on the table was with me and not you."

Whoa, what? Now I felt the need to sit.

"What?"

"You were summoned here because the alliance with Texas that Sophie Anne wanted was through you, not necessarily me. As you know, as your maker, Sophie Anne would need to approach me first."

"You said…"

"No. I said she wanted to form an alliance with Texas. You automatically assumed it was with me. Then you got mouthy, as you often tend to do, and I found myself arguing with you instead. You're of a rank to marry a regent. But you got all indignant in your argument and I didn't correct you. And after I met Sookie, I saw what a bad match it would be, though not necessarily a bad alliance."

"Sire, I…"

"It is my right as your maker to marry you to whomever I see fit."

"I remember," I snapped. I didn't mean to snap at him, but my head was reeling. Actually, I _did _mean to snap at him. I was angry. Of all the times he could have exercised that particular power, he chose _then._ I knew having Sookie was too good to be true.

"Eric, look at me." Because it was an order, I immediately looked up. "I am not going to make you marry Sophie Anne." I nodded. I couldn't really find words at the moment. "An alliance with Louisiana is a good idea. And by me stepping in there, it allows us the opportunity to make a better and more important alliance for you."

Oh great, just who was he going to marry me to?

"Really, and who's that with?" My voice was hoarse, my tone was hollow, my mind was frantically trying to figure out a way out of this nightmare. How could he do this to me? It couldn't be for the money. I understood it was his right, but in a thousand years, he's never said a word about it, other than telling me that it was his right as my maker. I honestly never thought he would do something like this with me. He waited until I was happy to pull the rug out from underneath me? That was very unlike him.

Wait a minute.

That was _very_ unlike him.

I looked back up at him.

"Are you finished with your inner turmoil?" He asked leaning against the desk.

"_Who_ do you want the alliance with?" I asked again.

"The fae, you idiot."

"You want me to marry Sookie."

"Do you not want to marry Sookie?" He replied. "You formed a full blood bond with her; something you haven't done _ever_. I assumed you'd be overjoyed at the idea, however, that is not at all what I feel from you."

"Sire, we've only known one another a little more than a week."

"I fall back on my blood bond argument," he countered. "Are you saying you do not want to marry Sookie?"

"No."

"So you're afraid she doesn't want to marry you?"

That's exactly what I was afraid of.

"Maybe," I confessed. "Godric, in Sookie's world, people don't have arranged marriages. They don't marry men they've known all of a week, especially ruthless killers!"

"Well, lucky for you, the ruthless killer part is no secret. A marriage between the two of you would all but ensure her safety from the supernatural world. No one would be able to touch her under penalty of death."

"That's the penalty now."

"But you would have the law to back it up and it would extend outside of your area," he replied. "An alliance with Niall would be advantageous for all of us." I ran a hand down my face, then just leaned my elbows forward on my knees and dropped my face to my hands entirely. "She's mortal, Eric. It would not be the required 100 years."

"It's not that," I snapped again. Great. This was definitely _not_ what I needed before meeting Nan and introducing Sookie to the Queen, who would now be pissed that Sookie usurped her intended, who happened to be her subordinate, so that was likely to end in pain for me at some point. However, I could take comfort in the fact that there would be no pain involved for Sookie.

"I will talk to her about it." I bargained.

"You can try," Godric replied quietly. "But Niall is agreeable to it for the protection aspect. You will speak with Fintan." Well, hasn't he been busy?

"Sookie has my protection whether she is married to me or not." I replied in a low, dangerous voice. If Liam heard me speak to the King in _this_ voice, he'd likely attack me. Godric was in no physical danger from me obviously, but this was not a tone I often took. In fact, we could probably count on one hand how many times in a thousand years I had used this tone with my maker and we'd likely not use all our fingers to come up with the answer.

"She will not see herself as being subjected to fairy law."

"She will be informed otherwise by Fintan. There is danger to her from the fairies also, which is why Fintan will be of help to you."

A feeling of franticness bubbled up in me, but I knew it wasn't me. It was Sookie's reaction to my recent roller coaster of feelings.

"Godric…" My voice was raspy and pleading. I did not want to do this to her. I did not want her to be in the position to be forced into anything. She loved me, yes, I wasn't afraid of that. But she was also…displeased…with me because of my actions in the last 24 hours; actions that I didn't and wouldn't apologize for. Coming on the heels of those two things, this would make me look like a dictator.

"There is more, Eric, much more. Fintan will help you deal with Sookie on the matter. However, I think she is successfully overthrowing Liam at the moment. I feel her getting closer."

"Yes."

In a shocking lack of protocol, Sookie burst through the door and fell to her knees beside me. "What's wrong?" She demanded, placing her palm on my cheek. "Eric?"

"It's alright," I said totally unconvincingly.

"It most certainly is _not!_"

"Liam," Godric said as his mate followed behind Sookie. "Are you going to tell me you couldn't catch her?"

"Godric, she started gasping for breath and then keeled over! I didn't know what to do. I've read about humans having these crazy attacks that needed surgery! Should I call the doctor? What if it was related to her trauma? Eric didn't streak immediately to her side, so I didn't think it was _her_ pain. I knew you'd feel her before she got here. I am not equipped for hysterical females; men pass them off to their designated man, do they not? Honestly, Eric, she turns on those tears and it's a wonder you can deny her anything at all."

"I'm not entirely sure I ever have." Godric forced me to calm down and I looked at him gratefully before looking at Sookie. She was very concerned. "It's alright, my love," I assured her, running a finger down her cheek. "Godric had…surprising news. I didn't mean to worry you."

"_Worry_ me? Eric, there was _grief_! Is someone dead?"

"No, lover. No one's dead. Honestly, I'm on an even keel again, can't you feel it?"

She looked suspiciously in Godric's direction, who, of course, looked innocent. She was very clever, my Sookie. "Yes, you do seem better."

I stood up and held my hand down to her. She rose up and I let go of her hand in favor of rubbing her back. You would think I would remember how tuned she was to me now, but in my shock, I completely forgot to block the bond, not that I'm always very good at that.

"Liam, let's see if Nan and the queen are gathered. I think Eric and Sookie could use a minute." Godric said. "Eric, take a few minutes before you join us."

"Eric, what happened?" Sookie demanded as soon as Godric and Liam were out of the room.

"I can't tell you now. I don't want you thinking of anything but meeting with Nan and Sophie Anne. You felt my _initial_ reaction to a situation; I promise it is not as bad as that." Damage control; I needed to do damage control.

"But you _will_ tell me," she sounded as if she was convincing both me and herself.

"I swear," I nodded.

"I love you, Eric. It's very hard to feel that kind of pain from you and not react."

"In time, you'll learn to be a little more objective and patient. You felt me calm down, right?"

"A little, but that could have been Godric." And it was. Again, she was very clever.

"Hearing that you love me helps." I kissed her forehead and she shook her head.

"Were you doubting it? You can feel it."

"No, I am confident in that. But just when I think I have it all under control…"

"I've brought you nothing but trouble."

"You've brought me more joy than I've had in a very long time." I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her. I really hoped she didn't hate me when I told her all this later. How could she not? How could she not listen when her friends inevitably told her I was controlling her life? How would it possibly look otherwise? A week; we've known each other a little over a week. Of course, it has definitely been the most eventful week I have had in decades, for sure, but she did not have the same perception of time as I did.

"You're getting worked up again. Eric, _please_ tell me what's going on!"

"I'm sorry, dear one, I am." This time I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. I was sure I wasn't reassuring her in any way. "I want nothing more than to be alone with you and away from…all of this. We'll speak with Nan, we'll speak with the Queen and if all goes well, perhaps we can return to Louisiana."

"You're not needed here anymore?"

"I really hope not."

She looked in my eyes and then went up on her toes to study me more levelly. I couldn't help but smirk at her seriousness. She didn't seem satisfied by what she saw. I felt both doomed and elated by that. But it seemed as if she was going to let it all go for now, though I was confident we were going to revisit it just as soon as possible.

"You'll stay by me in there, right?"

"Oh, absolutely, my love. I will stick to you like glue." I swore. "Nobody in there will hurt you."

"There's more than just physical pain," she said quietly.

"Yes, lover, unfortunately, there is."

**~Sookie~**

Since I met Eric, I have gotten used to cryptic comments. Recently, I've almost made it a game to take those cryptic remarks and interpret them based on what he was feeling. But at the moment, he was feeling pretty much everything. The wave of surprise, sorrow and anger that came from him before nearly brought me to my knees then it would almost disappear entirely, only to come back again. That is how I knew that Godric was controlling his emotions. Eric didn't bounce to extremes like that, at least, he hadn't yet since we bonded. And now I was only getting promises of finding out later what so obviously tore him up inside.

Not to sound full of myself, but I was willing to wager it was about me. Since the day he walked into Merlotte's I have brought this man nothing but danger and headaches. He could say whatever he wanted, but I was wiling to bet his life was a lot less complicated a week ago.

I can tell you mine was.

But a week ago, I didn't have Eric and now that I did, I can't imagine my life without him in it. Granted I could do without the threats to my life, so if I could have him without all that, it would be a perfect world.

But apparently, I was not going to be permitted to live in a perfect world. I was beginning to doubt whether or not I'd be permitted to live in _any_ world. As we walked to the great room, I felt like I was on my way to the executioner. Eric stopped in the foyer and turned to me.

"There is no one in there that will hurt you," he assured me again. I nodded. "I will not permit it. I won't permit it, Godric won't permit it, Liam won't permit it and Quinn and Bobby are in there, as well."

"I trust you," I nodded and was rewarded with a wave of affection. He kissed my forehead again and we stepped into the Lion's Den.

Some vampires I recognized from the other night. Bill Compton was here in the corner looking dark, dashing and dangerous. I would stay far away from him. Isabelle was here, depressingly sans Hugo. Hadley was standing by a radiant red haired vampire. She was decked out in jewelers and high fashion. She looked…expensive. I assumed that was Queen Sophie Anne. Standing near Godric was a blonde vampire. She was dressed like she was poised for a corporate takeover. I assumed that was Nan.

I was right in my assumption of Sophie Anne when she stepped forward and Eric bowed. "There's my handsome boy." Sophie Anne purred and held out her hand.

A very interesting feeling came from Eric then. Relief? Reluctance? And what does she mean _her_ handsome boy? Eric kissed her offered hand.

"Good evening, Your Majesty, you look beautiful. May I introduce my human, Miss Sookie Stackhouse." I didn't know what to do, so I just sort of nodded and bounced real quick.

"This is the human that snatched you from my fingers. Miss Stackhouse, I've heard much about you."

"It's nice to meet you, Your Majesty." What in the hell did _that _mean? I kept my features as neutral as possible. I remembered Eric's advice when I met Bill Compton not to show any surprise.

"I can certainly see what all the fuss is about," she smiled indulgently at Eric. Anger and annoyance came from Eric as Sophie Anne's eyes widened slightly. "Yes," she breathed. "I _can _see what all the fuss is about."

I gave Eric's hand a squeeze and tried to calm him down a bit. No easy feat, since I felt shades of the deluge I got before. Eric dropped my hand and slid his arm around my waist, dropping his hand on my hip and subtly pulling me tight to his side.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring her to you sooner, Your Majesty. Life with one as exciting as Sookie keeps me busy." Well, that was the perfect blend of vague and possessiveness. Eric was very diplomatic. I hope I wasn't expected to be any good at that kind of thing.

"Yes, Miss Stackhouse, we were very distressed to hear of your ordeal at the hands of the Fellowship. My poor Hadley here was beside herself with worry." Sophie Anne motioned my cousin forward and Hadley stepped to my side and beamed at me.

"Sookie, you look so much better than you did yesterday."

"Vampire blood will do that." I smiled to my cousin.

_Apparently, a _lot_ of vampire blood, _Hadley thought, but kept her smile in place. I was sorry to see that I wasn't really sure who's side my cousin was on. I was afraid she was only playing for Team Hadley. Right at that moment, while I was smiling and chatting my cousin up, Fintan was likely kidnapping her son; kind of puts a girl in a pickle.

"Your Majesty, have spoken with Nan yet?" Eric asked, dropping his voice.

Sophie Anne frowned and all but pouted. "She really is very unpleasant, Eric. She seems to forget the pecking order. Just who's side is she on? I made sure she knew you had my full support. I will absolutely go on television against that miserable Newlin."

"I thank you, Your Majesty," Eric said with a smaller bow.

"She wants to put our Sookie out there," Sophie Anne continued, running a hand down my hair. I tried not to cringe, but really, _our_ Sookie? I thought briefly back to my first conversation with Pam when she asked Eric if they could share me. I refrained from swallowing the lump that formed in my throat.

"That is impossible," Eric's voice was clipped and his rejection immediate.

"Yes," Sophie Anne all but cooed. "For quite a few reasons, it seems."

I had the sinking feeling that Sophie Anne knew I was part-fairy. I found myself moving even closer to Eric's side than I already was. If she was as astute as Godric, she likely knew as soon as she was in the same room as me. But then again, she may have known all along. I didn't know if Hadley smelled like fairy at all. I could ask Eric.

"Well, best get it over with then," Eric sighed. "Your Majesty, if you'll excuse us."

"Of course, sheriff," Sophie Anne smiled and I was pretty sure licked her lips.

"Eric," I tugged on his hand a bit as we walked. "Eric," I said again when he ignored me. When he didn't respond to me for the second time, I poked my fingers into his ribs and gave him a shock.

"Ow! Shit!" He hissed, rubbing his ribs and glaring at me. Looks like I found a new way to get his attention. "I hope you don't think to make a habit of that."

"I'll do what I have to. Just remember what's in the arsenal if you think you can ignore me, buddy. What the hell was the subtext with Her Radiant Majesty over there?" I whispered as low as I could.

"What I'll tell you about _later_," his eyes held warning and I was sure mine showed fire, but I wouldn't ask him anything more about it.

I didn't have the opportunity anyway because we were now standing before Nan Flanagan. And for the first time, I was really scared in the presence of a vampire. Before I was a little nervous, but I mainly knew that since I was Eric's, the likelihood of me being harmed by another vampire here was very slim and zero at Fangtasia. But this Nan Flanagan was an imposing figure who absolutely dripped authority.

I wouldn't say that anyone was cowering in her presence, certainly not Godric or Sophie Anne, but it certainly seemed that every vampire in the room kept one wary eye on Nan at all times.

"Nan," Godric said stepping forward. "I present my child and Sheriff of Area 5 in Louisiana Eric Northman and his human, Miss Sookie Stackhouse."

"Ms. Flanagan," Eric nodded.

"Sheriff," she replied. I said nothing. I got the impression I wasn't intended to say anything either. "I finally meet the man that pulled off such a daring and, might I add entertaining, rescue…of a human."

"Of _my_ human," Eric said evenly. "My human who was kidnapped in a parking garage, shot, drugged, beaten and if I hadn't gotten there when I did, raped and probably killed. She did not happen upon the Fellowship while she was taking a walk. She was targeted."

"Reverend Newlin is saying you kidnapped _her_; that she was a member of their congregation." Nan countered coldly.

"Reverend Newlin is a _liar_." Liam interjected.

"Let's go to the tape, shall we?" Nan replied. "Godric -"

"_His Majesty_," Eric hissed. Godric dropped his chin to his chest and gave Eric an indulgent look out of the top of his eyes.

"Of course," Nan was just as good at the indulgent tone. "_His Majesty_ has set up viewing in the dining room."

Eric pivoted and led me from the room. Nan, Godric and Liam followed. "Nan," Liam began. "I wondered if you might consider including me on one of your panels. I think I could provide valuable input, especially when debating the Reverend Newlin. I can come across as sympathetic."

"I think after this particular incident, Mr. McDonnell, it'll be awhile before the Authority puts any of the vampires from Texas in the spotlight again." Nan said dryly.

"Well, Eric's from Louisiana." Liam replied innocently.

"Perhaps I'll put you on the same panel as Russell Edgington." Nan said. I didn't know who that was, but it sounded like it would be a cold day in hell before either Liam or this Russell Edgington appeared on television.

"The King of Mississippi!" Liam laughed. "Why, he's a raving lunatic. You won't do the mainstreaming movement any favors with him, that's for sure."

When we entered the dining room, there was a large screen hanging from the ceiling. Eric pulled out a chair for me and after I was seated, he sat directly next to me. Liam sat on my other side. Godric entered the room with Queen Sophie Anne. I supposed given the fact that Eric was her sheriff and we both resided in Louisiana, she had a right to be in here. She was not accompanied by any other Louisiana vampires though. She sat on the other side of the table with Godric.

My memories from the Fellowship were still a little hazy, at least as far as my actual rescue. I remembered everything up until I lost consciousness with perfect clarity. I was kind of interested to see Eric in action and what the video may have caught of Fintan.

Nan started the video. The camera was pretty far away from the action. You could see Eric moving through the chapel carrying me, though you couldn't see either one of our faces. Steve Newlin appeared and there was some back and forth between them as the chapel filled up with people. Then there was a blinding light from the choir loft.

"And here is where we run into problems," Nan said, pausing the video at Fintan's magnificent entrance.

"_This_ is where we run into problems, Nan?" Eric countered evenly. "We didn't run into problems when Steve Newlin ordered my human captured, or when she was shot, terrorized and tortured, but _now_?"

"That is a fairy," Nan stated matter-of-factly. "Who is that? Does he have a tie to you, Ms. Stackhouse?" Nan turned to me. I looked at Eric. "I didn't ask the sheriff, Ms. Stackhouse."

"Ms. Flanagan," Sophie Anne snapped in what sounded like a very royal tone. "You will not treat a constituent of mine in such a way. Look at the blood that is covering her on the video. She obviously sustained quite a trauma. She and I have been here for days and this is the first time she has been well enough to meet with me. You can't possibly expect her to remember this. She was quite obviously unconscious."

Well, color me surprised. Maybe the others in the room might have expected something like this from her, but I sure didn't; not from what anything anyone has told me about her up until this point.

"I didn't ask if she remembered him there, I asked if she knew him." Nan replied with the maturity and professionalism of a seasoned television correspondent. She was quite obviously very good at her job. And then, because she was so good at her job, she added a snotty, "_Your Majesty._" She began a slow pace at the front of the room. Between her walk and her power suit, I could feel the intimidation. Eric seemed amused, unless he just wanted to project that to Nan.

"Let me put it to you all this way," Nan said stopping at the screen again. "This is a vampire holding a human who is covered in blood in the sanctuary of a church that is accusing him of kidnapping her and causing the injuries she has. The footage doesn't look good. And that man, the Angel of Mercy, is a fairy. Fairies aren't supposed to exist. It is _my_ job to clean up after this mess. In order to do that, we need Ms. Stackhouse to make the interview circuit and call the good Reverend out for his lies."

"No," Eric said flatly.

"Sheriff, it's our best defense," Nan argued.

"Maybe in theory, but you don't know everything there is to know here, Ms. Flanagan." Eric was very authoritative in his tone. I already figured out Godric and Sophie Anne outranked Nan, but I wasn't sure if Eric did. "What do you think will happen if you show a video with a fairy in it and then splash Sookie's face across the airwaves? Do you want to start a _war_?"

"It is not up to us to explain him to the humans; however it _is_ up to us to explain him to the vampires. If I could identify him as a fairy, others will too."

"And they will come to find Sookie." Eric ended. "And you will have another mess to clean up."

I had to give Nan credit, she stared Eric down. Neither was going to back off and I had still yet to speak. Between Eric and my new champion across the table Sophie Anne, I was quite obviously not going to be permitted to answer any of Nan's questions.

"Nan, have a seat," Godric finally spoke.

"I prefer to stand," Nan replied.

"I wasn't asking," Godric said with a slight shake of his head and Nan sat down immediately. This time Godric rose. Godric was probably half Eric's size, but when he rose, he radiated power. It was apparent to everyone in that room that this vampire held a position of great respect and authority. He put his hands in his pockets and walked slowly to the end of the table where Nan was seated now looking up at him. She still didn't seem intimidated, but she certainly wasn't going to argue with him.

"The fairy in the video is Fintan Brigant and he is Sookie's grandfather," Godric said and my eyes widened in surprise, as did Sophie Anne's and Nan's. That name obviously meant something to them. Nan looked over at me. I felt the sudden inclination to hide behind Eric. I obviously missed a memo. I thought Eric didn't want anyone to know I was part fairy. Now Godric was announcing it to the Authority and Queen Sophie Anne? Queen Sophie Anne who just a few days ago was trying to procure me for herself?

"If you know your history well, and I'm sure you do, Fintan is the son of Niall Brigant, Prince of the Fairies. If you put Sookie's face on television and made her the new poster child for the movement against the Fellowship of the Sun, you will start a war with the fairies and you will most certainly not be able to clean up after that.

"The Authority exists at the pleasure of the regents," Godric continued. "Two of whom are in this room and not very amused. It can be disbanded just as easily as it was formed. I happen to believe in the mainstreaming movement. I also happen to believe that the Fellowship of the Sun evolved because vampires never did and as such, I am sympathetic to your position. However, I will not condone a PR campaign that puts Sookie or any of the vampires in Texas in jeopardy."

"We can't not say anything, Your Majesty." Nan replied.

"I didn't say we were going to do that, Ms. Flanagan, but it's time we went with a different strategy. Diplomacy isn't always the answer."

"Yum," Liam hummed softly next to me as he watched Godric metaphorically kick Nan's ass; Eric rolled his eyes.

"Neither is violence," Nan said.

"Who said anything about violence?" Godric shrugged his shoulders. "There will be no violence from _us_."

"What are you thinking, sire?" Eric asked.

"I'm still working it out, my child, but you and Sookie may be excused for now."

Thank God.

"Lucky," Liam muttered next to me.

Eric didn't need to be told twice. He rose, took my hand and quickly left room. Instead of going upstairs though or back into the great room, he went right out the front door.


	22. Chapter 22

**22.**

**A/N: I have to confess, I too was surprised when Sophie Anne just jumped in there and defended Sookie. Sometimes they get their own ideas. I'm also wondering myself what Godric thinks **_**he's**_** doing too! And there's a little nod to Alex in here too. See if you can find it. ;) **

**~Eric~**

There we were standing on the elegant front steps of the palace. What were we _doing_ out there? I wanted to get out of the house. I wanted to fly clear back to Louisiana, but that wasn't going to happen until certain alliances were resolved. If Sookie didn't fry the hell out of me once I brought up the marriage issue, then we probably had to work out the details of that. Godric would want that witnessed and probably by Nan Flanagan Authority Lackey Extraordinaire.

So now we were standing outside with no destination in mind and Sookie was looking at me like I was about to have some sort of breakdown. She was right to worry. Never have I gotten more flustered or flabbergasted than I have been repeatedly in the past week. I _invented_ the poker face. My expression never showed anything but disinterest. Was I about to fall asleep? Was I about to rip your heart out? You didn't know. That was the whole point. Now half the time I didn't know which way was up let alone whether or not I was going to fall asleep or rip someone's heart out. I began to pace slowly.

"Are we going to fly somewhere?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know. Do you want to?" I asked, looking over at her. I couldn't imagine she really did. The only two times I took her up in the air she was terrified.

"It doesn't really matter, but I think I might get cold if we're going to fly. I'd like to get a sweater, but if we're going to stay on the ground, then I should be alright. It's pretty warm."

How is it that she can be practical? Because she doesn't know what I know, that's how. If she did, she'd grab a sweater, anything else she could carry and hightail it the hell out of here. At which point, I wouldn't blame her in the slightest bit and let her go. I'd follow her, of course, to make sure she was alright – that and I was obsessed with her – but I'd let her go…if you could actually define that as letting her go; that might be what humans called stalking.

"It's a beautiful night for a walk; I know the grounds well and no one will bother us." I suggested.

She gave me a slow, dazzling smile. It was her kung fu whammy. "That sounds perfect." I offered her my arm and she hugged it with both arms. How could I not think for just that second that everything was alright? I led her down the driveway a bit before I veered off onto the lawn in the opposite direction of the gardens and pool. There was nothing but rolling grass this way.

So this was what a quiet night with Sookie might be like. It was nice; it was peaceful. It wouldn't stay this way though.

"Why are you so worried? What happened before?"

"There hasn't been enough time, Sookie," I sighed, though I didn't need to; being around humans made me acquire some of their habits. "There hasn't been enough time to explain things to you, to ease you into this world. It's coming at you like a runaway train. I didn't tell you this, mainly because there hasn't been time for idle conversation, but Godric thinks God put us together. He theorizes that God sent me to you to protect you."

"Godric believes in God?"

"He's very spiritual. He's always been fascinated by humans and their ways. He's always made a study of them. I was always surprised that he never took a human lover. I used to worry about him; thought maybe he was depressed, disenchanted with what the world had to offer. That'll happen sometimes. Eternity is a very long time. Sometimes vampires go mad and will run out into the sun to kill themselves. It used to worry me but then he met Liam."

"The Lord reveals himself in mysterious ways," she said. I looked over at her and smiled.

"That's exactly what Godric said about us."

"You don't believe it?"

I shrugged. "It's a nice concept. It certainly explains a lot."

"You're very different, you and Godric. I would have thought with his influence, you'd have opinions closer to his."

"We've been going round and round on that for centuries. I have a hard time believing a being as benevolent as God would have created a creature like vampires. What for? He created a predator that fed off of humans? That destroys them? You could say it doesn't really add up for me."

"The Angel of Death," she put in, using Fintan's term from the church. "Everyone dies."

"They don't have to meet a gory and painful end though, do they?"

"I guess not," she shrugged. "God's also vengeful."

"Now you're making an argument," I said shaking a finger at her.

"Anyway, it wasn't God that brought us together, it was Naida and Tana."

"Who?" I asked.

"Naida and Tana, your statues," she said again and proceeded to tell me a story behind my fairy statues. I stopped walking and turned toward her as I thought the story through.

"I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and protect you, Sookie. Always." I vowed. "No matter what happens between us, my love, you will _always_ have my protection."

"What do you mean 'no matter what happens between us?' Something quite obviously is happening between us. Are you saying it might not last?"

I felt her fear begin to swell and I placed my hands on her upper arms. "That's not what I'm saying, not really; at least as far as I'm concerned anyway."

"As far as I'm concerned too."

"Let's walk some more." I said, turning and leading us along my previous route. She hugged my arm again and dropped her head on my shoulder as we walked in the moonlight. It might have been romantic under other circumstances.

"I haven't fully explained vampire marriages," I continued. It was time to stop procrastinating. I was known for many things, but a coward definitely wasn't one of them. "Marriages in the vampire world aren't typically entered into for love, they are more of alliances."

"I kind of figured something like that," she replied. "Godric seems to love Liam so much that I can't imagine why he'd marry the Queen otherwise."

"Right," I continued. "While it is true that there are some cases of vampires marrying for love, it is usually for political convenience. Sophie Anne wants an alliance with Texas; Godric obviously sees the value of an alliance with Louisiana."

"That would make it pretty easy for you, huh?" She asked. I smiled lightly as I looked down while we walked. Very clever, indeed. She didn't miss a thing.

"Sort of," I admitted. "For obvious reasons, I haven't been in on the negotiations."

"I would imagine that would be a hot mess between your unfailing loyalty to Godric and your allegiance to Louisiana."

"Mainly that, but I also think it was because when the Queen and her delegation got here, the deal changed." It was now or never. "I was originally summoned to Texas because Sophie Anne wanted it to be _me_ she married and as Godric is my maker, she needed to work it out with him."

Sookie was stunned. She stopped and turned to me with her mouth hanging open.

"I thought…" she squeaked.

"I did too."

I could see her starting to tremble and her eyes were watering up. This was no doing of mine, so why did I feel so God damn guilty?

"So when you said 'no matter what happens between us," she began.

"No, that's not what I meant. Godric is in negotiations with Sophie Anne for a marriage between him and her, not me. That was the original intention, but after he met you and felt me unfiltered if you will, he changed his mind and took me off the table, so to speak."

"Is that what made you so upset? That's what he told you?"

"I thought I was going to have to give you up."

"Eric, I can't be someone's mistress."

"And I couldn't ask you to be. If you meant less, maybe I could. But Godric said he was stepping in on the alliance with Louisiana to leave me open for a better and stronger alliance."

"He wants you to get married," she whispered. "What if you didn't want to?"

"He took my feelings into consideration with Sophie Anne, I'm not sure he'll do it a second time. It's his right as my maker."

"Who does he want you to marry?"

"He wants me to marry you." There it was then; the bomb dropped from 30,000 feet that takes out entire cities. She sat down hard on the grass, propped her knees up and dropped her head between them. Interesting reaction.

"I don't…I need a…I think my brain is shutting down," she said with a slight gasp.

"Take a few minutes, I wasn't really afforded that." I wandered around her in a circle while she did…whatever it was she was doing. This was much better than screaming and yelling…or so I assumed.

She took a deep breath and then sat up again. She watched me as I moved. "The night we met, you said that a marriage was the best way to protect me."

"I did and it is."

"How?"

"As you know, I instituted several new laws in Area 5 regarding you. If someone harmed you, the penalty was death. I don't have jurisdiction outside Area 5 to enforce it, though as you've discovered, I don't really give a shit about jurisdiction. However, a binding marriage in the eyes of the supernatural world means that NO supernatural creature may approach you at all without my prior consent. If they do and they harm you, and even if they don't, quite frankly, I am within my rights to kill them, no questions asked."

"What about the blood bond?"

"The blood bond lets me know you are in trouble, the marriage gives me the power to do something about it."

"And so Godric wants you to marry me."

"Yes."

"A telepathic waitress from Bon Temps, Louisiana."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You are part-fairy."

"He thinks marrying me, who's like an eighth fairy and raised human, will carry weight in the fairy world."

"Yes."

"Good luck getting that one past Fintan."

"Niall Brigant has apparently consented."

"Godric's already _talked_ to them?" Here comes the meltdown.

"So it would seem."

"He has no authority over me."

"He seems to think that you are subjected to fairy law and according to their laws he can do this."

"Well he can't!" she hissed. "And besides that, it's illegal. Humans and vampires aren't allowed to get married yet. It wouldn't be recognized by the church or the government. We've only known each other a week, it's just not done. Niall can't just wave his whatever and say its fairy law and expect me to bow to his wishes. I've never met the man."

"Godric mentioned something about danger to you from the fairies. I don't know what he's referring to. He said Fintan knows more about that. It doesn't sound like Godric has spoken to him. He's leaving that for us."

"Fintan is currently kidnapping Hadley's son."

"Oookaaay, we'll talk about that one next." I had a feeling I didn't want a piece of that, but wasn't likely going to be given a choice…again.

She dropped back on her back with a huff and looked up at the stars. I crawled above her and stayed propped on my hands and knees. "I wasn't expecting this either, lover."

"I know," she said on a sigh and brought her hand to my cheek. "It's just not how I imagined it would happen, you know? I guess that sounds silly and feminine. Truth be told, I never thought I'd get married anyway. Men always thought I was weird."

"You are definitely not weird."

"So you say."

"I've known a lot of mortals in my time."

"I guess that's true."

"Are you saying you're agreeable to this?"

"I'm saying I want to hear what Fintan has to say."

"Smart girl," I nodded and sat back on my heels. "Speaking of Fintan, he is kidnapping your cousin's son?"

"This is very interesting," she said, propping herself up on her hands. "Apparently, his closest friend is that lawyer of yours."

"Mr. Cataliades?"

"Yes. And as a gift to Fintan, he gave telepathy to any of Fintan's descendants who had that essential fairy spark and that's how the fairies would know because the child would have telepathy. So Fintan thinks that Hunter will probably have more fairy powers like I do. He also thinks he'll be in danger, so he's going to kidnap him and bring him to wherever the fairies live." Good to know Mr. Cataliades was telepathic.

"They live in Fairy."

"How original."

"I didn't get a vote on the name. What of the child's father?"

She sighed heavily and sat all the way up. "I really don't know and Fintan doesn't care. He said I couldn't say anything to Hadley either. The child's just going to go missing and I really don't know how to handle that. They'll never know what happened to him. Fintan said he wanted to take me out of the human world too, but said it would break my grandmother's heart, so instead he tried to keep this world away from me, and, well, that didn't turn out too great."

"Do you regret my world finding you?"

"I regret the danger it's brought, but no, Eric, I can't regret circumstances that brought me to you." She framed my face with her hands and together we lowered down onto the grass.

My hand ran up and down her bare thigh as I lazily kissed her. "Sookie," I said softly. "Would you like me to go glamour the father?"

"You would do that?"

"If it put your mind at ease."

"And make him forget he ever had a child?"

"I don't think that would work. I'm sure too many people know he has a son, but I could give him a plausible story to explain where the child may be."

"That's very sweet of you, Eric."

"The less you worry, the better I feel…literally."

"What do you think about a marriage?"

"I told you I would do anything to keep you safe."

"So, it's an arrangement?"

"I like the idea of being bound to you. It is true that vampires don't think of marriage in the traditional sense that humans do. Since they are typically business arrangements, we usually don't see the point in being faithful to our spouses since it's likely our spouse isn't being faithful to us. We don't consult our spouse on important matters and we don't operate as a partnership. That is what our mates are for. You are my mate, Sookie. It took a thousand years to find you. I am willing to do whatever it takes."

"Well now, that was the right thing to say."

Thank Godric's God.

Just when I was about to start talking Sookie into making love in the moonlight, my cell phone rang. It was Pam's number. I would have ignored it in favor of sex under the stars, but I just realized then that I hadn't checked in with her since we got here. I don't normally check in often, but I was just on television.

"I am here," I answered.

"You are everywhere," she countered.

"So I've been told."

"I don't even know where to begin!" she ranted. "I feel someone else. Did you bond with Sookie?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"There are developments. A lot of them."

"And it seems you are not interested in talking of them now."

"I'm not."

"Throw me a bone here, Eric." Pam was always happy to use vernacular when she could.

"Listen Pam, watch your back."

"I always do."

"I want you to be especially alert. The queen is a little unpredictable right now. At first I thought she was upset with me for snatching Sookie, but I'm not sure of her intentions now. If she still is looking to punish me, I'm afraid she might come for you."

"That may explain why Andre has come here."

"Andre's there?"

"Yes. He has concocted some story about me being needed in New Orleans while the Queen is gone and I've argued so far that I cannot leave the Area because _you_ are gone. I think the only reason he has not forced the issue is because the Magister has also been our guest these last few days."

"Nan Flanagan is here. She's investigating what happened at the Fellowship."

"Is that a fairy in the footage?"

"Yes. It is Fintan Brigant, Niall's son and Sookie's grandfather."

Silence.

"I suppose you do have a lot to explain."

"Do NOT go to New Orleans, Pam. I will make it an order as your maker. That way Andre cannot convince you otherwise. I am positive you will wind up in chains. The rest I will have to explain when I return. How is the work on Sookie's house going?"

"Oh…well…coming along." I knew evasion when I heard it.

"Pam, what has happened?" Sookie sat up, filled with fear.

"Oh nothing bad," Pam assured.

"Everything is alright, lover." I assured Sookie quickly.

"But once we started working on the light tight space, well, there was just all this other stuff that the house needed." I closed my eyes in dread.

"And so?" I prompted.

"We replaced the windows, refinished the wood floors and added central air."

Wow. That didn't sound so bad.

"Also, the driveway needed more gravel, the porch was falling apart, the roof is getting redone tomorrow and the painters will be here at the end of the week. The exterior is a mess."

Okay, none of that sounded too drastic. I hoped.

"Also…" she continued. Dear God, she's been busy. "I have tracked and apprehended the V seller in the area. He's downstairs with others that have been misbehaving."

"Well done, Pam. Who is it?"

"A man named Lafayette Reynolds. He says Eddie's been supplying the blood but he's gone missing."

"Is he a drainer?"

"No, it doesn't sound like it. I believe he and Eddie were business partners."

"Find Eddie. He also must be punished for his part in it."

"Yes, Sheriff."

"Keep the other; I will question him myself when I return. See if you can find out if he was in league with anyone else."

"I will." She assured. "When do you think you will return?"

"I hope to be no more than a few more days."

"Remember what I said about Andre."

"I don't want to end up in chains, Eric. I'm not likely to forget it."

Maybe not, but Pam upon occasion felt like she had something to prove and might take Andre on just for the sport of it. I had enough problems keeping Sookie safe. I didn't need to rescue Pam on top of it.

I hung up the phone and looked down at Sookie. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes."

"It didn't sound like it."

"It's nothing serious."

"You sound like you have a lot on your plate."

"I'm an area sheriff. I have responsibilities," I shrugged. "It's nothing worse than any other time, I promise, lover."

She seemed to accept my answer. I was actually feeling pretty good about the call all in all. I wasn't happy the Magister was poking around, but given recent events, I was hardly surprised he was. I was a little worried about Andre, but that situation was predictable, as well. As long as the Magister was there, Pam would be safe from Andre. And Pam had succeeded in bringing in the area's biggest dealer of V; that was definitely a victory, even though I felt I couldn't fully celebrate that as much as I would have. I couldn't put my finger on what felt wrong, but I'm sure it would come to me.


	23. Chapter 23

**23.**

**A/N: Sorry for the gaps in posting. I'm working on another Eric and Sookie story at the same time, so sometimes the muse goes there.**

**~Sookie~**

"Plant your back foot, find your balance. It's a quick jab to the temple with the ball of your foot. Put some sass into it, lover, you're not going to hurt me."

"If I'm not going to hurt you, then why am I bothering with this?" I sighed in frustration.

Eric cocked his head to the side and grinned wryly. "Do you want to hurt me?"

"I mean, if I _can't_ hurt you this way, then why am I doing this?"

"You can't hurt me _now_, while we're slowly going through form. In the heat of a battle when you're full of fear and adrenaline and pissed off, you'll pack much more of a punch, I promise," he replied. "And why are you doing this? Well, for one, you look hot as hell in your little workout outfit there."

"Argh!" I put that sass into my high kick; got him right in the side of his all-too-male head.

"Better," he complimented.

"In the interest of full disclosure," I panted as I kicked and he blocked, "it is my intention to ward off attackers by shooting lightning out of my hands like Fintan can."

"A good plan, my love," he replied before landing me flat on my back, "but should the fuse blow, you should have a backup plan." I knew that gleam in his eye.

"I can feel your lust."

"I'm not doing anything to try to hide it," he dropped a kiss right on top of my heaving cleavage. "You're right here, breathing heavily, wearing next to nothing and what you _are_ wearing looks like it was painted on, your blood is bubbling just under your skin and it's singing to me…" He trailed off as his fingers shifted the strap of my sports bra aside.

I gave him a shock in the ribs.

He yelped and bounced back onto his feet, glaring at me.

"That's getting very annoying, you know."

"But see how effective it is?" I smiled sweetly at him.

"You're going to have to pack a higher voltage than that to be effective. And before you think of it, no, I will not be that guinea pig."

"Who am I going to practice on?"

"How about Bobby?"

"As much pleasure as I would get from that, I don't think he'd stand around for the second practice shot."

"Lover, he'll stand there and let you zap the shit out of him for however long I tell him to."

"I think he might quit first."

"He won't."

"I would."

"You are not the dayperson to a vampire," he shrugged.

"What does that mean?"

"It means according to industry standard, if you will, a dayperson is not a position you retire or resign from, you die from it."

I gasped and he smiled. "I do love how sweet you still are," he murmured, stepping back to me and running a finger down my cheek. "Whether they die at a ripe old age or from being in the wrong place at the wrong time, they know what the deal is when they sign up for it. On the other hand, my human employees have excellent health benefits."

I didn't really know what to think of that. I guess I shouldn't really be surprised.

"You don't like that, I can tell." When he smiled, it was almost with regret. "I can assure you though that Bobby does, very much. There is a certain amount of respect and prestige that comes with the position that Bobby has, especially when he's associated with higher ranking vampires like myself and Godric. But for the travel here and home and other than the escort of you in Dallas, you can see there's very little asked of him during trips. For the most part, he's been allowed to lounge in the very lap of luxury with all the wine, food and women he could want. It is definitely not a job for everyone. He has to be personal assistant, shrewd businessman and mercenary. It's not an easy job and though he's an asshole, he is very efficient."

"I suppose."

"He did not hesitate to shoot back at the Fellowship. What he doesn't like is that neither myself, nor Pam, are the least bit attached to him as some vampires are to their daypeople." He pressed his lips to my collarbone before continuing, "The same cannot be said for my sexy telepath, to whom I've grown very attached."

"I'm not your employee." I closed my eyes as his lips moved along their path. I could zap him again to get him to focus, but really, that's just a lose-lose situation.

"Well, you were to be more of a contract employee, but with a pending marriage on the table, that would change the original agreement."

"What are you talking about?"

He could tell by the tone of my voice that now was not the time to try to seduce me away from the topic at hand, so he ran his hands down my arms and linked fingers with me. "Well, in your traditional marriages, what's mine is yours. It's a little more involved when two vampires get married, but you don't have to worry about that. As I have already explained, as you would be both my spouse and my mate, when we marry you would become a very rich woman. You would not need to work. So, we would need to rethink some things. I would still need you to read people for me."

"Not need to work?" I shook my head. I couldn't fathom that.

"All of your expenses would be taken care of. Is that not how it works with humans?"

I honestly hadn't thought about it that way. I did know that vampires kept humans as something like pets and some, like Sheriff Stan, set his lover up in a very nice house, with anything she could want. But she wasn't his wife and I don't think she was considered his mate either, as Eric was calling me, she was more of a kept woman and that was something I refused to be. However, if we were married, that would be different. I couldn't imagine not working. I always _had_ to work to live. I never dreamed of marrying a rich man and being a woman of leisure. What would I do with my time?

"I think I would get bored if I didn't work, Eric." He shrugged a shoulder and led me out onto the balcony. It was a nice night. I guess he figured if we weren't going to have sex, we could hang out outside. I liked it out there. I wondered how much his patio at home looked like that one. I didn't get to see it the one time I was there.

"I have various business interests, Sookie, you could do something different if you really wanted to."

"Where would we live?"

"Wherever you wanted to."

"I haven't thought about it."

"Married couples live together, don't they?"

"Do you want to live with me?"

"Sookie, I want to tie you to my side so you're always with me. Yes, I want to live with you. Did you not think we would?"

"I don't know what to think, Eric. I never thought I would get married, so I never gave it much thought. Logically, I guess I'd say, of course I thought I'd live with my husband, it's the way it's done, but you said vampire marriages were different."

"They are. But when vampires take a mate, they live together. You see Godric and Liam."

"True."

"If I have to talk you into it…"

"You don't!" I was surprised by my own vehement response. I ran a hand through my hair and then crossed my arms. He was right. There never seemed to be enough time.

"You are not ready for this."

"It's not that, Eric."

"It is that, my love." His tone was gentle and he rubbed my arms in comfort. I didn't feel anything amiss with him. How could that be? How could he just take something like this in stride? He didn't seem worried about cold feet on my part. Did he know something I didn't know?

"How can you be so sure about it all?"

"Because I have over a thousand years of life experience and time means something very different to me."

"I am sure about you, Eric, I am." Oddly enough, he was the _only_ thing I was sure about.

"I know; I can feel it."

"It's just adjusting to 25 years of being told one thing; of being brought up one way and then being told to toss it aside. Women who get married after knowing a man after such a short amount of time are thought to be knocked up."

"If you are marrying a vampire, my lover, no one will think that is the case."

"They'll think it's something else. They'll think you glamoured me."

"They might. But then it would be unflattering things they think about me, not you. And I don't particularly care about what people think of me."

It must be nice. It must be so liberating to really not give a shit about what people think of you. To be able to dive head first into whatever it was you wanted, and just not care about the gossipers. But even if that was me, it wasn't my friends and it wasn't my brother. _They_ would have a problem with it. They would come looking for me. When Jason is in a mood to be protective, he's really a pain in the ass about it. It's almost as though he had to make up for all the times he wasn't. And he doesn't take time to formulate a plan. He just rushes in like Rambo and hopes for the best.

My cell phone rang then. It was the ring tone I had assigned to Fintan. Now _he_ had some explaining to do.

"It's Fintan," I said to Eric, as I pulled out my phone and hit answer. "You."

"It is I."

"You are in a lot of trouble, buddy."

"Buddy?" he replied. "What is a buddy?"

"Explain yourself."

"Hunter is safe in Fairy."

"Oh, yeah. That. Well, good. But you have a lot more to explain than that, _Grandaddy._"

"I sense you are upset with me."

"What tipped you off?"

Eric grinned. He liked that I was giving the fairy hell. Anything that made things uneasy for Fintan was fun in Eric's book.

"What's happened, child?"

"I've been informed that I'm to be married," I seethed into the phone.

"The king works fast." Fintan sounded impressed.

"The king is the only one that's _honest_ with me!"

"There were other things to discuss with you first, dear one. You were upset."

"Don't you try to turn this around on me. I want to know what the hell is going on!"

"Have the vampire bring you back to the fair, Sookie. I will speak to you about it in person."

"Now?"

"Yes," he gave a long suffering sigh into the phone. It was his own damn fault. He was the one so hell bent on procreating with a human. Now he could deal with the repercussions of that.

"You did not get this unpleasantness from me, you know."

I highly doubted that. "You ain't seen nothin' yet!" I stabbed my thumb on the end button and spun around on Eric. "He wants us to meet him at the fair."

"Grab a sweatshirt; we'll fly."

"You seem awfully excited about it."

"Watching you flambay the fairy is a huge turn on, lover," he grinned wickedly. I stomped back inside, grabbed my black hooded sweater and shoved my arms into the sleeves, then zipped it up half way. I was too pissed off to be nervous about flying. Eric turned around and tapped his shoulder. I climbed onto his back.

"Welcome aboard," he murmured. I wrapped my arms and legs around him. He hooked his arms around my legs and shot into the sky.

The first time I'd flown with him I was terrified and in shock; the second time, I was unconscious. Though I was still scared now, I kept my eyes open. It was a good kind of scared. It was an exhilarating feeling of absolute freedom. I giggled when Eric obviously started showing off, doing rolls and dips. For as scary as it was being that high up, moving that fast and not being in a plane, I knew I was safe with Eric.

We touched down right where we met Fintan before. The humans in the area were stunned to see us land, but flying vampires was no longer a myth. They were very impressed with Eric; me, not so much. Some of them even wondered if he was selling tickets. Not a bad racket, I'm sure, but I was equally confident that Eric would see that as beneath him.

I heard a strange pop to our right. I looked over just as Fintan emerged from the trees. Despite the fact that I utterly oozed annoyance, Fintan enveloped me in a strong hug. Though I was angry, I hugged him back. I just couldn't help it. I always felt this overpowering love for him. Eric had told me that fairies had a great capacity for love. It must be part of that.

"Now enough of that," I snapped getting down to business. "Spill it."

"Spill what?" he asked. He was so literal! Eric got that way sometimes too. It made a girl nuts!

"Eric!" I let out in frustration. "Tell him what Godric said."

"We were told that Godric and Niall have reached an agreement for us to marry. It has been impressed upon us that Niall agreed to this because there is some sort of danger to Sookie, one to which I am not currently aware, that makes a marriage imperative so she would be guaranteed the protection of myself and Godric, something I note she has regardless. Niall asserts Sookie is subject to fairy law, something she strenuously objects to, as she was raised human." Eric said incredibly diplomatically. If there was any question in my mind who would be the wheeler and dealer in this relationship, I would have to say it would undoubtedly be Eric.

"Yes," Fintan says simply.

I shake my head in disbelief. "Yes…what?"

"Yes, that is all correct."

"Niall does not have authority over me."

"He does, you are a fairy."

"I'm like an eighth fairy."

"It still counts."

"Fintan!"

"Especially now," he said quietly and firmly.

Eric and I were quiet for a moment. Fintan's eyes were cold and his features stone. Something was going on. Eric finally broke our silence. "What is happening?"

"Unrest," Fintan said and gestured us to move further away from the crowds of people. "There are two schools of thoughts in Fairy right now: those that follow Brendan, my cousin, and believe that all fairies with human blood should be destroyed, both in Fairy and in this world; and those that follow Niall who are not opposed to fairies breeding with humans. Because of the vampires, we are a dying race." He shot a nasty look over at Eric. I wondered how many dead fairies Eric was responsible for. "There is a third emerging group that is hunting the hybrids and bringing them to Fairy."

"Why?" Eric asked. Good question.

"Listen to what I say and stay away from other fairies, child. The only ones you will be safe around are myself, Dermot or Niall. If another fairy comes to you, whether they are pledged to Niall or not, you must tell us immediately."

"Do they want to hurt me?" I asked quietly.

"The followers of Brendan do."

"What about the followers of Niall?"

"They want to breed you."

"WHAT!" I couldn't help but yelp. Fintan gently grabbed a hold of my shoulders and Eric calmed me down through the bond. They wanted to _breed_ me? What the hell did that entail?

Fintan led me over to sit on an empty bench. I could feel the blood rushing from my head. "I don't have that much fairy in me."

"The more you are around fairies, the more fairy you will become. If you were constantly in my presence, your fairy qualities would become stronger until eventually they have dominion over your human qualities, which would be nearly non-existent. These fairies believe this is how they will bring our race back."

"By holding the hybrids in captivity like a zoo." Eric murmured. I got a visual of me in a cage being fed and observed like a tiger. I didn't care for it.

"Niall believes they will be unlikely to try and snatch Sookie from a vampire. They won't want to risk anyone's lives. If you are legally bound to Eric, the breeders will keep their distance."

"What about Brendan's followers?" I asked.

"They are vigilantes. I don't put anything past them." Fintan hissed. "It is civil war."

"What about Hunter?"

"He is as safe as I can make him. He is guarded." Fintan looked over at Eric with distaste. "It is time to see just how safe you can really keep her, vampire."

"What about you?" Eric asked.

"I will continue to watch over Sookie like I always have. I will not abandon her."

"I can shock Eric." I blurted. Eric rolled his eyes but Fintan smiled.

"Let us see what you've got." He turned to me and gestured to his stomach. I gave him everything I had; it didn't seem to do much to him. "Not bad. We'll work on it when you return to Louisiana. It must come from your heart, my child. You must put more feeling into it."

"Fintan," I said and sighed. "This is America. This is not how marriages work."

"It is how supernatural marriages work, dear one," he countered. "You love your vampire and I believe he loves you. What more do you need? Many successful marriages start with a lot less." He had a point there. "In addition, you have been chosen by Naida and Tana. They have deemed you compatible. You will be happy, child. You will be safe. That is all that matters."

It wasn't all that mattered, not to me. It was hard to argue with though as the underlying threat was pretty heinous and distasteful. Eric already had security measures in place. God knew what he had planned for when we returned to Bon Temps. My life as I knew it was about to change drastically _again_. Maybe it was for the better. Maybe a lifestyle change wouldn't be so bad. I was good at waitressing, I liked being around people. I _needed_ to be around people. But that didn't mean I couldn't be good at anything else. It wasn't as if I found waitressing all that challenging and rewarding. As long as I had human interaction so my brain didn't explode, I could be alright.

On the other hand, Eric hired Quinn so I could be safe going about my life as it currently was…or was before all this stuff came along. I don't know if he'd hire someone else or let Quinn add anyone else to his team or what. But I had to say that I was terrified at being held in captivity for breeding purposes and I was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that didn't happen.


	24. Chapter 24

**24.**

**A/N: Counting down to the start of the "season of the witch…"**

**~Eric~**

Liam greeted me as soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Eric, this is SO exciting!" he gushed, clapping his hands and bouncing around me.

"_What_ is exciting?"

"A _wedding_!"

Oh crap. Is that a tear?

"Liam," I sighed.

"I have always wanted to put on a wedding."

I arched an eyebrow at him.

He lost his mirth for a moment and his lips curled. "Obviously, I don't have any intention of planning nor attending that…that…_farce_." He tossed a hand in disgust in the direction of the dining room that has served as a conference room for the marriage negotiations.

"It will be much grander than anything I'm going to be part of, that's for sure." I continued walking through the main hall and back towards the kitchen. Sookie was upstairs and she was hungry. When exactly it was that I started playing scullery maid escaped me, but there I was, fetching food for her. And what killed me was it was _my_ idea. When did I start thinking of somebody else's needs? But then again, it wasn't just any person's needs, just one person's in particular. It wasn't as if I was suddenly going to become known for good deeds.

"Don't be ridiculous," Liam scoffed. "It's not every day a _prince_ gets married, Eric."

I stopped and turned slowly to him. I wanted him to hear me very clearly, and more importantly, _understand_ what I was going to say. "Liam, there will not be a large wedding ceremony. Sookie is hanging on by a thread as it is. You're not going to truss her up and make her into some sort of ghastly spectacle to settle any ridiculous notions you might have about how a wedding should be."

"Listen, Buster," Liam actually poked me in the chest. "You are the king's only child and a prince in your own right and God fucking damn it SOMEONE is going to give me a reason to put on the mother of all fucking parties. Do you understand me? You're in love. You deserve beauty. _She_ deserves beauty and it's simply not possible you two could pull it off on your own."

"She doesn't want to be the center of attention, Liam." I hissed.

"Eric, she's a telepathic fairy hybrid, descended from royalty, no less. Newsflash: everyone's attention is on her!" He had a point. But I refused to cave.

"The wedding will be witnessed by no more than is exactly required by law. That's it. If you can't deal with that, I'll take her somewhere else and do it. I'll do it before Russell Edgington."

"You. Wouldn't. Dare."

"Wouldn't I?"

I would dare. I'd much rather face Liam's ire than Sookie's mortification. She understood that a marriage was the most sensible way to ensure her protection. Thankfully, she loved me. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I did and I was going to be God damned if anyone was going to give her reason to second guess the whole thing. At most, it was a quick exchange of the pledge knife in front of a single person. She could handle that. A huge dog and pony show would make her run and scream for sure.

I saw the moment Liam realized he couldn't win this particular battle, but formed another plan instead.

"Alright."

"No," I shook my head. "There's no way it's alright."

"I said as much, didn't I?"

"You're lying."

"Eric!" That was the fakest gasp I had ever heard. "How could you say such a thing?"

"I know you."

He hissed in reply and I smirked. "The _king_ would like to see you in _there_." He jabbed his finger toward the dining room.

"Why didn't you tell me that first?"

"I had more pressing matters to discuss." He tossed his head and sauntered off. I'm sure he was going to hole up somewhere, lick his wounds and plot his revenge.

I pulled open the dining room door and swung inside then immediately masked my face to hide my surprise at seeing Sophie Anne and Nan in the room, as well. Fuck. What was this about?

"Sire," I nodded to Godric first then turned to Sophie Anne and bowed, "Your Majesty." I didn't bother with addressing Nan. She could go fuck herself as far as I was concerned.

"Eric," Godric greeted, gesturing to the chair next to him. I immediately moved to his side and sat down.

"How can I be of service?"

"It's so nice to hear that and know that the speaker actually means it." Godric smiled. "At least, as far as some of us are concerned."

Great. It seems the regents are butting heads with the Authority. Why am I not surprised?

"Sheriff, Reverend Newlin is going to issue a retraction," Nan announced.

"You're fucking kidding me." I said on a half laugh.

"Apparently, he has been visited once again by a divine being." Nan looked unamused. I wondered which fairy paid the good reverend a house call. It couldn't have been Fintan since he was busy kidnapping Hunter. I wondered if it was Niall himself. "This time by the Angel of Gabriel himself."

"The messenger of God." I acknowledged. The fairies were having a little too much fun, I think. "And what did he have to say?"

"Well, of course he brought tidings of great joy."

"Of course."

"He was to atone for his sins, all creatures on Earth were God's creatures, the child she will bear stands with God," Nan continued, but I stiffened at the word 'child.' Coming on the heels of Fintan's revelations, hearing something like that from a fairy who had not yet been identified did not give me warm fuzzy feelings. "If he did not heed Gabriel's words, he would be struck blind for non-believing."

"Behold the barmaid of the Lord." Sophie Anne said and gestured grandly. Nan looked unimpressed, but I had to admit, that was funny.

"He was visited by a _fairy_." Nan said, sounding clearly annoyed.

"Who are often mistaken for divine beings," I countered. "If Newlin is backing off, where's your problem, Nan?"

"The fairy in the video remains my problem," she asserted.

"Has it been a problem yet?" I questioned. "This has been out there for a few days now. Has anyone come forward and said, 'who's that fairy in the video?'"

"The Authority has." Nan snapped.

"You know who the fairy in the video is." I replied. "Give them your answer."

"It's not just that," Nan said with a satisfied smirk on her face. I turned to Godric.

"There was something under discussion when you came in."

"Discussion implies civilized debate," Sophie Anne sneered in Nan's direction. "That is not what was happening."

"What was the subject of debate?" I asked, though I had a sinking feeling I knew what it was.

"Sookie," Godric answered.

Of course. Five minutes. The girl couldn't stay off the radar for five fucking minutes. I felt my blood come alive. Since I was already in the room, I knew Godric was calling Sookie. That was going to go over like a lead balloon.

"Did you _have_ to do that, Sire?" I muttered, wiping a hand down my face.

"What else was I supposed to do?" He asked innocently. He has not been innocent in anything in 3,000 years.

"A phone. A servant. Anything but that."

"She needs to be present for this discussion; it concerns her."

"Yeah, but -" The door slammed opened and Sookie charged into the room. She was carrying a velvet bundle wrapped with a golden cord. I knew exactly what it was, but had no idea where she got it. And it was pretty obvious she didn't realize what she held. She walked right over and stood between me and Godric.

Then she shocked me.

"Shit!" I yelped, rubbing my arm. "I didn't do it; he did!" I gladly threw my maker under the bus. Sookie scowled deeply and shocked me again. "What the fuck was that for?"

"For _him_," she hissed, pointing at Godric, who chuckled and enjoyed the show.

"She is spirited," Sophie Anne purred, giving Sookie an appreciable once over. Sookie shuddered and moved closer to me. Oh sure, look who needed me now. Fucking typical.

She turned to me and held the bundle out with both hands. "Eric," she said simply. I wondered if Liam was responsible for this. It couldn't have been anyone else, but I didn't think he would have turned around and been _this_ agreeable, which could only mean he was plotting something big.

I untied the cord with quite a bit of drama, peeled back the velvet and revealed the ceremonial knife; the one to be used in Godric and Sophie Anne's ceremony. I kissed the knife, then reached up, cupped Sookie behind the neck and kissed her. She was definitely confused. "I accept the pledge," I said, doing my damned best to keep any inflection or emotion out of my voice.

"Clever," Nan bit out. "The Authority recognizes your marriage and dominion over your human."

"What?" Sookie asked sharply. Godric and I practically sedated her instantly with the amount of calm and happiness we tossed at her. Her eyes widened, but she could not fight the feeling. It was playing dirty, but Nan and Sophie Anne were in here. I eased her into the chair next to me and she sunk into the leather wide eyed. I pressed a kiss to her forehead. I sent her love and reassurance, but all I was getting in return was pure shock. Whatever kept her from screaming at the moment, at least in front of Nan and Sophie Anne, I would gladly accept it.

"Well, Sheriff, as Ms. Stackhouse's husband, I'll negotiate with you regarding her."

"What exactly is it you wish to negotiate, Ms. Flanagan?"

"The Authority would like to keep Ms. Stackhouse on retainer. I'm to negotiate the terms." Nan explained. There wasn't a vampire in the room that didn't hear Sookie's breath hitch in her chest. "As she is an asset of Texas and Louisiana, the regents of those territories may sit in on the negotiations as a courtesy. Originally, as Sheriff of the Area in which she resides, you were going to be the courtesy participant, but things have changed…unsurprisingly."

"Why would they like to retain her?"

"She is a telepath, is she not?"

"She is."

"It has been some time since the Authority has had a telepath in their employ and as this one is so highly protected and trusted by two regents, you have to admit that's a high recommendation." Nan continued. That and they'd like to keep an eye on the human with apparently a direct connection to the fairies – a species that supposedly has been extinct for centuries having been wiped out of existence by vampires. Up until now, a nice little ruse on the part of the fae.

"My wife leads a normal life, Ms. Flanagan." I replied. Sookie squeaked a bit at the word 'wife.' Thank God the whole marriage business wasn't a surprise. Granted, it happened quickly, but I couldn't imagine what she'd be like if the whole thing just broad-sided her. "She has a job; she has family; and she has friends. You're asking her to drop her life on a moment's notice?" We just won't mention that was my original expectation, as well.

"If she is on retainer, she would receive a handsome monthly stipend to accommodate the fact that we would expect her to pick up and go at a moment's notice. She would not need any other employment. The monetary compensation would more than cover the fees and costs involved in last minute travel plans, Sheriff."

"She will not travel anywhere alone."

"Of course not, Sheriff." Nan quickly agreed. She would have seen that coming miles away. "She will be under heavy guard."

"I'm sure the Authority will provide ample security, Ms. Flanagan, however I was referring to myself and her current security guard, Mr. Quinn." I stipulated. Sookie let a breath out next to me and I could feel her relief. Like I was going to leave her in the _Authority's_ hands and hope for the best? Not likely, dear one.

"The Authority will not pay for private security." Nan said dryly.

"I have not asked the Authority to do so. Merely understand that my wife won't travel anywhere without us."

"Mr. Northman, the Authority will not be bullied."

"Then the Authority will not have this particular telepath on retainer."

"Eric," Godric warned.

"It's my right as her husband, Sire," I said evenly. This was non-negotiable. Putting aside the fact that the fairies would likely have a full-on conniption fit over Sookie having any sort of role in vampire politics, _I_ was sworn to protect her. I was sworn to protect her before she became my wife, before I fell in love with her, before she became my blood bonded mate, before I had any idea of what I actually had on my hands, in its most basic form, our relationship was as protector and protectee _because_ she was a telepath. I fall back on my earlier statement that Nan Flanagan can go fuck herself.

"As she is an asset of both Texas and Louisiana, we would not have it any other way, my child. Would we, my dear?" Godric looked over at Sophie Anne who smiled sweetly at Nan.

"We are in complete agreement," Sophie Anne cooed. She wasn't an idiot. As an asset of Louisiana, the Authority would also have to give Sophie Anne a stipend for calling upon one of her constituents with frequency. Sophie Anne is making out pretty well in this deal, just by being in the right place at the right time.

"The Authority will stipulate to the additional security and escort, but will not pay for same," Nan bit out, clearly annoyed at being out-gunned.

"Good," I said pleasantly. "Let's talk money then."

**~Sookie~**

It took me a little while to recover from the events of earlier in the evening. Apparently, I just got married and became an employee of the American Vampire Authority. I'm not completely sure how it happened, but it sounded like I made out pretty well. Eric negotiated a $10,000 a month retainer. Each day I am on active assignment for the Authority, I get an additional $1,000 per day and all my expenses paid. I think that pretty much guarantees I wouldn't be going back to Merlotte's, at least as an employee. I was sort of saddened by that as Sam was one of my closest friends. I couldn't help but feel I'd be letting him down. I supposed maybe I already was given that I just up and left for a week. But Hugo's words could still come haunting back into my mind. I tell myself that our situations are different. Hugo wasn't "talented" the way I was. There was nothing particularly special about him. So my life was changing for protection purposes not because I was adapting habits to fit Eric's lifestyle. I reminded myself that I did agree to the marriage, granted it happened a little quicker than I thought it would.

It would have been nice if Liam had clued me in when he handed me that velvet bundle. As I stomped by him, enraged to have been "called" in that manner, he shoved it into my hands with merely a "give this to Eric," with no other explanation. In hindsight though, I think I preferred the way it all went down to some big overblown affair. There's too much attention focused on me to begin with. I wasn't sure I was comfortable in the bride role to boot.

I guess it really wouldn't have mattered anyway, since I was clearly no match for both Eric _and_ Godric when they decided to alter my mood. Again, I really was grateful for it. I would have been mortified if I turned into some babbling, brainless female during that conversation. I was sure Nan already saw me as not worthy of attention, so I appreciated not looking like an idiot on top of it.

Eric led me into the kitchen, looked over at the human in there with indifference, said, "feed her," and walked me over to the table.

"Yes, sir," the man nodded and immediately set to work.

Despite the rudeness shown to the other human in the room, Eric pulled out my chair for me. I thought that was very gentlemanly. He sat catty-corned to me as the man set a glass of sweet tea on the table in front of me and hurried off. "Now is the time for you to ask your endless questions about what just transpired."

I shrugged and took a sip. After I swallowed, I kept my eyes on my glass.

"My lover, you can't possibly have nothing to say to right now."

The man put a warmed bottle of True Blood in front of Eric. I found it interesting that he served me first before Eric, the child of the king, the "prince" as Liam made sure everyone thought of him.

"Am I correct in assuming that according to vampire law, we're married now?"

"Yes."

"That was it?"

"That was it."

"Alright."

"Are you angry?"

"Do I feel angry to you?"

He smirked, clearly appreciating me tossing back words he's said to me countless times. "Oddly, you don't."

"We had agreed on that," I shrugged again.

"We didn't agree on you working for the Authority. We never even discussed that."

"It didn't sound like it was open for discussion to me." I replied. "And quite honestly, I don't see the point in getting angry over it, Eric. You said I'd read minds for you, so why not read them for the Authority? I'll be getting paid pretty well for it and I won't be going alone. Both you and Godric have impressed upon me numerous times that I would not be left alone by vampires. At least I benefit from it this way."

"You never cease to surprise me, Sookie," he grinned.

"I think I'm just finally getting a handle on how the game is played," I sighed. "Besides, now I've got some control and stability that I didn't have before. I'll be making significantly more money than I did before, so I won't have the stress of wondering how I'm going to pay my taxes and other bills. Fintan's going to stroke out when he hears about the Authority, so have fun with that." I smiled evilly at him and he was sick enough to appreciate it.

"I intend to."

"Does this mean we can go back to Louisiana now?" I asked hopefully. I did like Godric and Liam and I had to admit, being waited on hand and foot was nice too, but I wanted to go back home, back to my home. Now that it seemed this was the way my life was going to be, I was ready to get on with it.

"Yes," he said. "I'll need to make the travel arrangements, but I don't think our presence is required here any longer."

"You don't seem particularly saddened by the thought of leaving."

"I'm not," he shrugged. A plate of food appeared in front of me and I dug in without bothering to ask what it all was. It didn't matter; everything here was delicious.

"I need to find out what's been going on with my brother. He was a murder suspect when I left and he sounded really down the other day." I frowned, poking my fork at what I've come to discover was chicken.

"What will you tell him?"

I sighed and looked out the picture window that was next to the table. "Well, I think I have to tell him all of it."

"Fintan said not to tell him about the fairies."

"Listen, I love my grandfather and I trust him and all, but he hasn't always made the best decisions where I'm concerned. In order for Jason to let me live my life the way I want to, the way I _have_ to, I need him to understand. If Jason understands and is on my side, everyone else will have to shut up about it, at the very least."

"Why is that, lover? Why is just your word not good enough?"

"I told you how when I was growing up, the telepathy was a curse. I couldn't control it. I couldn't always discern between what people said outloud and what they simply thought. So everyone thinks I'm crazy; that I'm not quite right. There are a very few people in town that understand what I can do, and though they get freaked out by it, they accept me that way, but it's because of Jason. Jason's seen as kind of my caretaker, though he hardly ever acts like it. No one really questions his judgment where I'm concerned. If anything, it's _me_ who is Jason's caretaker and not the other way around. Maybe we really just take care of each other. We're all each other has." I looked up at him and smiled shyly before linking my fingers with his. "Until now that is."

"Believe me, dear one, you have me in every possible way there is."

And that was still amazing to me. I stopped asking myself why I had such horrible luck to attract the attention of all these supernatural creatures and accepted that somehow I had the good luck to be led to Eric. Fairy folklore or not, I'm glad it happened to me.

"I think it might be a little easier with some distance as well. By not working at Merlotte's, I won't be in the middle of everything. Ignorance really is bliss in some cases. If I won't see my friends every day, maybe it won't be so important to try to fit in." I felt Eric's smug satisfaction when I mentioned not working at Merlotte's anymore. I let the bond keep me happy for now. I'm sure that made Quinn's job a lot easier in most respects. Though I still was going to need to find a way to get my human infusion. I _needed_ that interaction and I'd need it now more than ever if I had to keep that skill honed for my livelihood.

"Well, my love, there will need to be a lot of adjustments made for both of us when we return. Are you up for the challenge?"

I leaned forward, looked him square in the eye and grinned. "You bet your ass, I am."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: How are we all liking the new season? I'm loving it so far. Bill is SO going screw up the king thing.**

**~Sookie~**

Bobby was an asshole for sure, but there really was no denying his efficiency and attention to detail. He timed our arrival at my house for exactly dusk. Eric was absolutely adamant that his timetable be kept. I wasn't sure why he was so set on it. I understood it for the trip out. On that end, I was arriving in Texas to a strange house, with strange people who may or may not have been dangerous to me. But now I was coming home, so I didn't really understand why he wanted it so meticulously timed to when he woke up.

That is until we pulled up the driveway and stopped outside the house.

One look at my house and my heart started thudding. The very nanosecond Eric's travel coffin cleared the roof of the van, the lid flew open and he streaked to my side.

"It's not as bad as it looks, my love." Eric took a hold of my upper arms while Quinn and the employee from Anibus Airlines began to unload the baggage, apparently that kind of work was beneath Bobby. My breath was starting to come in pants and I was afraid I was about to hyperventilate.

"It's painted," I whispered.

"The same color," he pointed out.

I looked down at the new gravel in the driveway and my stomach sank. "What else has Pam done?"

"She has said they replaced the windows, refinished the wood floors and added central air, laid fresh gravel on the driveway, fixed the porch and replaced the roof," he reported quickly. "Of course, they would have done the light tight space in the spare bedroom downstairs, but I have a feeling she may have made your bedroom light tight, as well, and she would have added a security system."

Images of the tight security at his house and Fangtasia floated to mind and I cringed inwardly. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate the improvements or the need for the security measures for Eric, but exactly why was it Pam left me completely out of the loop? It's my freaking house and it's very old! Maybe to keep the historical integrity in tact I didn't _want_ central air! (Which isn't true. I could never afford it, but I was making a point).

"This is why you wanted to arrive right at dusk?"

"I thought you could use the moral support," he said with a slight wince. I thought that was awfully nice of him and brave too, considering I'm literally holding myself back from taking out my surprise, distress, anger, whatever on poor Eric. I can actually _feel_ the tingle in my fingers. That isn't something I noticed the other times I got pissed and shocked him.

"Welcome home, _y'all_," came a dry drawl from the front porch. I turned slowly to see Pam standing on the porch with her arms extended and her palms raised to the sky. She looked very proud of herself. "Well, breather, what do you think?"

I hissed low in my throat and walked forward. Pam arched a single brow at me, clearly curious as to just what I thought I was going to do next. When she saw that I obviously meant business, she dropped her fangs in warning.

"Pam, you will stay where you are and not hurt my wife," Eric ordered sternly. Pam's eyes flashed to Eric and I grabbed her elbow. She howled in pain and pulled free.

"HOLY FUCKING CHRIST! WHAT WAS THAT?" She shrieked. I seethed, but didn't back down when her fangy grin was right in my face.

"Pam!" Eric clipped sternly. She retracted her fangs but didn't step back. However, my attention was diverted from her when I saw Eric turn to Bobby and Quinn and jerk his head towards the Anibus employee, who was staring at me, mouth agape. He didn't know what the hell I was, but he couldn't wait to tell everyone what he saw. Bobby walked right up behind him, put his palms on either side of the man's head and snapped his neck. The man fell to ground soundlessly.

Eric walked purposefully up the stairs. He stopped when he was exactly eye level with me, silently daring me to have a problem with the sudden execution of an innocent man who posed no physical threat to me. But I knew why he did it; I knew he would do it again and again. We fought that battle before.

"Mr. Quinn, meet my progeny Pam." Eric said. "Pam, Mr. Quinn will be head of Sookie's security." He turned to address the group at large. "Mr. Burnham, dispose of the body and van. You know what to do."

"Yes, sir," Bobby replied. He hoped Pam paid close attention to how flawlessly he acted out Eric's unspoken command. He hoped I acted out in front of witnesses again so he got the opportunity to act like a bad ass assassin again, as he wasn't fond of Eric's current assassin. I didn't even realize Eric _had_ a current assassin.

"Pam," Eric's tone was lighter now and more affectionate. "Sookie's been exhibiting more fairy powers. I'm afraid you've just experienced firsthand what happens when she's mad at you. Believe me, I know how it feels. Sookie, my love, Pam was merely trying to do something nice for you with the upgrades and repairs to the house. Let's go inside. We have some catching up to do."

I spun on my heel, stuck my nose in the air and stormed inside ahead of them.

"Wife, Eric? You are _pledged_?"

"Yes," Eric shrugged simply as my eyes immediately roamed over my beloved home. "As I said, there are things to discuss."

Nothing really looked amiss. The windows were new, so they sparkled. The floors were refinished and looked perfect. I noticed some vents in the ceiling, which must have been for the central air. So far, nothing seemed overly objectionable. She hadn't really made any aesthetic changes. Of course, I hadn't been in the bedroom yet.

As I studied the house for any changes that may have been made, I began to see things that really could be changed; things I never gave any thought to before because I simply couldn't afford it. The t.v. was ancient, and I did like watching t.v. It wouldn't be too frivolous to get one of those flat screens like Jason had, right? The furniture could stand to be recovered…or replaced. I supposed I could take down the wallpaper and paint. I'd have some time on my hands.

"Dear one?" I looked over at Eric. I think he had called me more than once, but I was lost in thought.

"Sorry," I said shaking my head. "I'm sorry, Pam. It looks great. I've been…a little on edge."

"No kidding," she drawled, but rubbed at her elbow. "That's quite a punch you're packing, breather."

"It's been getting stronger," Eric explained. "She's been learning how to channel her light."

"Aren't we lucky?" Her sarcasm was evident, but Eric didn't seem to care.

"Yes, we are. Sookie is not defenseless and that eases my mind." Eric said. I opened my refrigerator and took, out a pitcher of tea and True Blood.

"How's this work?" I asked Eric holding the bottle up. "How long do I put this in for?"

Eric smiled and walked over to me. He took the bottles from my hand, pressed a kiss to my cheek and popped them in the microwave. I paid attention so I'd know for the future. I felt warm inside. Eric and I married and together in the kitchen with a guest. It was very domestic and I would hardly call us a domestic couple but then again, we hadn't had the opportunity to try our hand at it.

I wondered what Liam would think of my hostess skills. I was raised to honor Southern hospitality, so I knew my manners were impeccable when presented with the opportunity to use them. Gran painstakingly instilled manners in both Jason and I. I missed Liam already. He was my ally and friend. I hoped it wasn't long before I got to see him again. I didn't get to really thank him for making the "wedding" painless. I had visions of horror over some big ceremony that I would probably have to be medicated for. It would have been nice to be in on the secret before I went into the dining room with the knife, but I guess there wasn't a lot of time. Then because we left during the day, I barely got to say goodbye.

Contentment flowed through me, but it wasn't mine. It was Eric's. As he talked with Pam and she brought him up to speed on business, I saw that he was happy – genuinely happy. I squeezed his shoulder, pressed a kiss to his cheek and left the kitchen to check out the bedroom.

The furniture and linens were the same, but the walls were a different color. They were sort of a slate gray, not what I would have picked, but I wasn't all that objectionable to it either. The windows _looked_ the same, but there were grooves in them. I assumed at dawn some sort of light tight panels slid down. If this meant Eric could spend the entire night with me, I was fine with the change. It wasn't something that drew the eye unless you knew to look for it.

And wasn't that what marriage was about? Compromising and finding a happy medium? I didn't have much to go by. My parents had died when I was real young and my grandfather died shortly after Jason and I came here to live. Tara's family was all screwed up, so I couldn't use them as an example either.

I wondered if Fintan was married. Neither he nor Eric mentioned it. He only spoke of how much he loved my grandmother, but if he couldn't _have_ her, would he have settled for another? Would I ever get to meet my other fairy relatives? It didn't seem as if Fintan was willing to allow that, but I wondered if it was really feasible to keep me sheltered like that. He said Niall and Dermot were safe for me, so wouldn't it stand to reason that I meet them? But maybe not, since I had come to realize that fairies didn't seem reasonable, at least not to me.

As I sat on my bed with my head spinning from all this deep thinking, I began to feel tired. I stretched out in my own bed, missing the comfort of the bed in Texas, but reveling in the familiar feeling of home and fell asleep.

**~Eric~**

I smiled a bit as I felt Sookie drift off to sleep. She's had an interesting range of emotions since we got here while I just feel this strange giddy excitement. Very odd. I couldn't recall the last time I truly felt…content. This was different from how I have felt since I turned Pam. Pam has always been a fun, entertaining, advantageous and when she let her guard down, loving companion. But that's what a child and maker are. _Companions_. Someone to do stuff with because you're tired of doing everything by yourself.

My love for Pam ran very deep, as did my loyalty to her and the same was true for herself. She hadn't made a vampire herself yet; sometimes I think she was afraid to; afraid of my reaction or afraid of how the new one would change the dynamics, I don't know, but afraid all the same. Turning Pam definitely changed the dynamics between Godric and I. At first he was personally offended. Was he not enough? In the beginning, I was afraid he'd kill her, or worse, make _me_ kill her. Of course, he did not and I felt foolish for even thinking such a thing of him.

In truth I was looking for more. I found some of it in Pam, but it wasn't until Sookie came along that I realized what the more was that I wanted. While Pam was someone I could _do_ things with, Sookie was someone I could _share_ things with. My existence for one. I could just hang out and share an evening with her doing nothing and loving it. Sharing an evening with Pam required entertaining her in some way. Pam and boredom is a very dangerous combination.

I would not say that I loved one woman more than the other because they are very different kinds of love. But I found being here with Sookie in this environment extremely pleasant. It was completely contradictory to Fangtasia. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't thrive in Fangtasia's environment because I did, but I liked the idea of escaping to a home like this. I could be quite happy here at Sookie's house, despite the fact that just about everything here needed to be restored, repaired or replaced, but I didn't mind that. There was plenty of room for both of us and it was definitely private and off the beaten path. I wasn't sure how I felt about Bill Compton being my closest neighbor, but at least I could keep an eye on the Queen's procurer easily enough.

"You'll be happy to know Sookie's piece of shit car had to be replaced. There was a little accident, if you will, with the mason's truck when they were working on the driveway. I'm afraid it wasn't repairable."

"I'll buy her a convertible, she likes the sun."

Pam arched an eyebrow at me before continuing with her report. "We still haven't found Eddie. The dealer Reynolds isn't talking, no matter what I've tried."

"Did you glamour him?"

"No, not yet. I want him to remember how scary I can be first," she gave a bored shrug and I smirked. Pam really embraced being a vampire. She was getting more and more annoyed by the technological advances of cell phones and their cameras. I wasn't as impulsive as younger vampires though and could control my more violent nature.

"So we have a missing vampire then," I surmised and she nodded her head. This wasn't good news. If there were drainers in the area we needed to be vigilant. "Sookie can read the dealer easily enough. If he's got something to do with Eddie's disappearance, she'll know."

Now that I was back from Texas and Sookie's safety was mostly taken care of, or at the very least under control and that matter settled, or as settled as it was going to be, I needed to get back to the business of being sheriff, which included briefing my second in command on everything that happened in Texas.

"Godric and Sophie Anne?" Pam curled her lip in disgust when I laid it all out. "Has he gone insane? I don't imagine Liam was agreeable to that."

"He's not, but he's at least being _mostly _quiet about it."

"You have to admit, it will be easier for you. You will no longer have to worry about split loyalties."

"I wasn't worried about it before." And I wasn't. There was no choice between Godric and Sophie Anne. Sophie Anne was no fool, she would have understood that. "When did Andre leave?"

"Yesterday," Pam said. "I'm still not sure what exactly he wanted. He tried to get me to go to New Orleans, even tried to force me, but it didn't work."

"I would imagine that had to do with Sophie Anne's ire for me."

"Sookie aside, you still would not have wanted to be king, Eric."

"No," I agreed.

"I've often wondered why."

"Too much paperwork."

I could feel her frustration, but didn't give in. Pam wanted me to be king. She thought I would make a good king. I might, but I had no interest in that sort of position. I didn't mind leading. I was good at it, as evidence from the amount of vampires that were drawn to my area. I didn't mind the responsibility of others. I did mind the spotlight that came with it. I did mind having to watch what I did and said not only for fear of punishment by the Authority, but also because there may or may not be a news camera around. There were those that were well suited for the political aspects of that position, Sophie Anne for one, but I was not one of them. I had no patience for that. I had no patience for finding diplomatic solutions to problems. I'd rather be the hired muscle who could have a vampire-appropriate outlet for my anger and annoyance. I was a warrior and I preferred it that way. In my human life, I had no desire to be king either. We are what we were when we were turned.

Plus, now I had Sookie. I did not want any more attention drawn to her. I already had enemies, I didn't need legions more. Niall was impulsive. The fae didn't have to explain the messes they made; at the moment, their messes were thought to be the fault of vampires. And since there weren't many vampires that knew of the fairies' existence, it was tough to explain. Lucky them.

"You know, that was really painful, Eric," Pam pouted, rubbing her elbow.

"I can imagine," I grinned. "She tends to get physical now when she gets pissed. It's fun to watch, but I'm not fond of being on the receiving end. She's not only learning to channel that power, but also to control it. It's not easy for her. She's not a violent person, but she's been forced into violent situations."

"Well, training her to fight is wise," Pam agreed. "She cannot be left defenseless and she would be valuable if she can defend herself and us if need be."

"I'd rather her not be in that position."

"And she'd rather be left alone, but we don't always get what we want."

Unfortunately, that was true. "I'll come to Fangtasia for a while tonight and there are things I need to get from my house, as well."

"Are you saying this is where I'll be able to find you for the foreseeable future, Eric? You're going to live _here_? Can you not convince Sookie to come to Shreveport instead? Bill Compton is her neighbor."

"I probably could convince her to come to Shreveport instead, but she likes it here. With the money the Authority is paying her, she'll be able to fix the things she wants here. I'll keep the house in Shreveport for…later." Pam arched a brow at me and didn't comment on the fact that 'later' translated to when Sookie was gone. I didn't want to think about that too much. Her mortality only made me depressed.

I wrote a note to Sookie telling her where I would be and briefed Quinn. I didn't expect her to sleep for long. Instead of flying to Fangtasia, I drove with Pam. We shared silence on the ride. I was stuck with my thoughts of what life would be like post-Sookie. It didn't seem worth looking forward to. Maybe I would change her, but I couldn't be sure how the process would affect her and her fairy powers. Would she retain them in the change or would they cause the change to go horribly wrong? Bubba's change was disastrous and now the vampire world had a liability on their hands. I couldn't bear to destroy her light; not only because it was a crime to destroy that kind of beauty, but because she was the only light I had. When she was gone, that light would be out and if it didn't carry over in the change, we'd both be in the darkness. That just seemed… tragic.

When we arrived at Fangtasia, I went straight to the basement. It was time to talk to our guests first hand. They saw Pam, now it was time to get a taste of me. I motioned to the were guarding the door to step aside. As soon as I started down the stairs, I recognized the anxious sounds of fear. The immediate hush to the whispered conversation, the scurry to hide in the shadows, the failed attempts to stop the sobbing; it was all music to my ears.

I slowly stepped into the room, allowing our captives' to adjust and take in my size and face.

"Oh, fuck," whispered a scruffy waste of life to my left. Yes, my reputation preceded me.

"Lafayette Reynolds," I said sternly. He was the first I'd deal with.

"Fuck," came the silent oath from the corner. "Oh, fuck."

"Yes, that about sums it up." I walked slowly towards the voice in the corner. My eyes didn't need to adjust because I could see perfectly in the dark. He was hunched over and hiding his face. "Look at me," I ordered sternly.

He did, though he didn't meet my eyes. I wouldn't allow my face to show my surprise, but damned if I wasn't just thrown a curveball. Our area V dealer turned out to be the cook from Merlotte's; Sookie's friend. Oh fuck, indeed. This was not good.


	26. Chapter 26

**~Eric~**

If I thought things would be less complicated when we returned to Louisiana, let me be the first to say that I was wrong. I hope everyone paid attention to that because that is not a phrase often uttered by me since it's not very often that I'm wrong.

I watched Lafayette sitting nervously in front of me in my office, no doubt confused as to why I ordered Pam to feed him and allow him to bathe. Pam and I argued – in Swedish – over my plans for Mr. Reynolds. She disagreed vehemently; she does not want to set a precedent in any way.

So now I had a pissed off child and nervous V dealer on my hands, along with the myriad of lost souls downstairs, and if I thought things couldn't get worse, I'd be wrong again. Sookie was on her way and she was very anxious.

I felt her getting closer as I sat behind my desk, feet propped up, hands linked across my stomach, staring down Lafayette. If I wasn't going to hurt him, the least I should be allowed to do was intimidate the ever loving shit out of him.

"Listen…" Lafayette began. One quick hand gesture from me cut off anything he was going to say.

Sookie burst through the door wearing Daisy Duke shorts and a tight t-shirt. She ran through the bar looking like that? Fantastic. As soon as I felt her wake up, I knew she saw me downstairs with Lafayette in a dream. Thankfully, Lafayette wasn't too injured; dirty, terrified and malnourished maybe, but relatively unharmed.

Sookie went right to Lafayette and laid her hands gently on his cheeks. "Lafayette, are you alright?"

"I – yeah, mostly," he stuttered, after a glance in my direction.

"How long have you been here?"

"I'm not sure."

"About a week," I supplied. "Pam caught him right after we left for Texas."

"_Caught_ him?" She turned to me then, her eyes were blue fire. "What the _hell_ is going on?"

"Mr. Reynolds here is my area's largest seller of vampire blood," I stated flatly.

Sookie's eyes widened and she looked back to her friend. I assumed she read the truth of my statement in his mind because she sighed. "Oh, Lafayette. I thought you stopped dealing drugs."

"It's not as easy as that, Sook." Lafayette had the good sense to show _some_ shame over his illegal activities.

"Before I get on with Mr. Reynolds' punishment," I began. Both Sookie's and Lafayette's eyes widened in horror. "Sookie, my love, I would like you to read Lafayette and see if he's telling the truth about a missing vampire from my area. His name is Eddie and he was a…friend…of his. Mr. Reynolds says he has not seen nor heard from Eddie since he went missing."

She straightened defiantly and raised her chin. Somebody did not wake up in a good mood. "You're asking me to do you a favor before you kill my friend?" She hissed. I hated that she was defending this worthless piece of shit. Could she not see the grave crime he had committed against _her husband's_ race? Since I discovered Lafayette's identity, I tossed out my plans to execute him. Sookie didn't know that then. She knew only that selling vampire blood was an offense punishable by death. I couldn't fault her for her reaction, but I _could_ hold her responsible for her lack of trust in me.

"I could spare his life, Sookie, but not if he's lying about Eddie's disappearance. Draining vampires is a federal offense, my dear."

"I know," she snapped.

"It's time for you to uphold your end of our original deal. So far, I've held up mine; he lives. He's already admitted to dealing the V."

Sookie laid a gentle hand over Lafayette's and looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She closed her eyes and tuned in. Lafayette's breath was heavy, as it had been since Pam brought him in, and he kept his wary eyes on me.

"Thank God," Sookie said softly and rose up, turning to me. "He's telling the truth. He has no idea what happened to Eddie. And if it means anything to you, he's worried about him. Has it occurred to you that Eddie could have moved or gone to visit somewhere else, Eric?"

"Yes, it has," I replied. I dropped my feet to the floor and leaned my forearms on the desk. "Eddie's house reeks of humans and evidence points to a struggle and an abrupt departure. There are three human scents there that Pam identified; two she confirmed as Mr. Reynolds' and your brother."

"Jason?" Sookie was confused. I didn't blame her. "Jason doesn't know any vampires. He hasn't even met you."

"He knows this one. Pam recognized his scent when he came to check on the renovations to your house, Sookie."

Sookie jerked her head in Lafayette's direction. He hung his head, but didn't meet her eyes. "Oh God," she whispered and sat down.

"He knows where Eddie is?" I asked as gently as I could.

"No," she said, as her eyes filled up with tears. "Apparently, Jason is addicted to V now." I was afraid of that. "You can't punish him, Eric, you can't. He's my brother."

"How can I not? He's breaking the law."

"How is it any different than when you've given me blood, Eric? Isn't that just as illegal?"

"I give you blood willingly. I don't give it to you to support an addiction. I gave you a lot of blood to save your _life_. The vampire blood sold on the street is _drained_ from vampires, Sookie," I argued.

"You don't know that for sure, do you? Maybe Eddie gave it willingly."

"If he is the supplier and he gave the blood willingly, when I find him, he will be punished for his part in it. Selling blood, be it human or vampire, is illegal."

"Please let me deal with Jason on my own, Eric," she pleaded.

"Will dealing with him include turning him over to the human police for his crime?" I asked.

"They already suspect him for _murder_, Eric."

"So it's only I that's supposed follow the letter of the law," I didn't know what I was getting so worked up about. I had already made my decision concerning Lafayette. This new Jason situation was an annoyance, but I really had no interest in causing more trouble for Sookie's brother, especially since it was causing Sookie distress. I meant to ease her mind, not add more of a burden to it.

"No. I don't know." She was frustrated by the situation as much as I was, so I decided to go easy on her.

"What will you do?"

"I really don't know," she confessed. "I'm only asking you to give me the opportunity to try first."

"Alright. When will you speak with him?"

"As soon as I can."

"I hope you're successful, lover." And I did. Jason Stackhouse meant nothing to me; neither did Lafayette Reynolds. But harming them would hurt Sookie and that was something I _did_ care about. I was angry with Lafayette and Jason for putting me in this position. I had to employ diplomacy and that was against my nature.

"So, what are you going to do with Lafayette?"

I stood up and came out from behind the desk. Lafayette shrunk away, but Sookie held her ground. I took her by the elbow and led her out into the hall, out of Lafayette's hearing. I closed the office door and stood directly in front of Sookie. She had to drop her head back to meet my eyes and all that beautiful sunlit hair fell down her back. Since this was a serious discussion, I refrained from plunging my fingers in it and allowing myself to be completely distracted from the topic at hand. She met my gaze with stone cold determination. My little fairy packed balls of steel.

"I can't ignore his crime, Sookie. I can't just let him go with a warning. It's a very serious offense, but it would upset you if there was a physical penalty involved. I doubt Mr. Reynolds could afford any monetary fine I could impose in its place."

"So that leaves what?"

"I could glamour him." I suggested. "It's a happy medium, my dear. It is not something I will entertain with other erring humans, but as he is such a good friend of yours, I'm trying to be reasonable."

"I really don't think that's up to me."

"Criminals don't get to pick their punishment, Sookie. What incentive would they have not to commit crimes?"

"Alright," she nodded. "Do I get to stay in the room?"

"No. Sooner or later, my dear, you have to trust me." She winced a bit. "I will want you to come back in though and test the glamour."

"Test it?" She shook her head confused. "It might not work?"

"It'll work flawlessly against normal humans, but telepaths are different. They can see the blocks in someone's mind and know where to push." I could tell by her uneasy squirming that I was right. Whether she pushed at a glamoured memory before or not, she did recognize them in someone's mind. Hadley's for sure, probably Hugo's, definitely Ginger's. "You are not the only telepath out there." I didn't know where others might be, since telepaths were rare, but they existed and if I had one, I'm sure there were other vampires with them. It was better to be safe than sorry.

"That's why you killed the Anibus guy?"

"Yes. And your lack of control and exposure of your power is something else we'll need to discuss in the very near future." She looked part chagrined and part defiant. I admired her feistiness. I adored how despite the many times she witnessed my temper being unleashed on others, she wasn't afraid of it ever being directed toward her. She may not believe that Lafayette was going to walk out of my office without any bruises, but she had unfailing faith that she could push me to limits no one had before and live to do it again another day.

"I'll wait for you downstairs," she said.

"Actually, why don't you go out to the bar, my dear, and Pam or Ginger will get you some food."

"I already know there's other people down there, Eric," she sighed. I could tell she was tired. We had been traveling and it was 3 o'clock in the morning. I could smell Quinn out in the bar. I was glad she didn't try to shake him. Besides, though I didn't ask, I had no doubt she came rushing over here because she saw me and Lafayette in a dream, it was easier for all involved if she didn't go to sleep just yet.

"Wait out in the bar for now, my lover. I'll take you downstairs or home myself when we're finished." She shrugged and walked out to the bar. It wasn't her discovery of the people in the basement that worried me. They would definitely try to get her to help them if she were by herself. Sookie had a good heart; she likely wouldn't know how to free them, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try and hurt herself in the attempt. She also didn't know all of their offenses either. I intended to have her read them as well, but not in that environment. In my defense, there wasn't anyone down there that didn't deserve to be.

I watched her head over to the bar where Quinn was seated. I took a moment to observe the others in the bar. All the vampires knew when she entered. They all watched her from the moment she left my side until the she got the bar, and even then, there were still eyes on her. I was sure they felt the same way I did when I first met her. There was something about her that I couldn't put my finger on then; but whereas I discovered what the mystery to her was, they would never know her secret. They wondered what it was about her that caused me to put such strict laws into place regarding her; why was it if _I_ wasn't watching her in the bar, Pam was watching her? I could see it in their eyes and smell their fear when they caught me studying them.

When I was sure she was well chaperoned in the bar, I returned to my office and the quivering Lafayette. I sat down in the second chair Sookie vacated and leaned forward, my elbows on my knees.

"Look at me, Lafayette," I said firmly, but he wouldn't. In fact, he looked everywhere _but_ at me. "Let me put it to you this way, it's either look at me or I'll have to kill you." That certainly did the trick. As soon as his eyes met mine, I locked him in. His breathing evened out and an empty look passed over his face. He'd stay that way until I released him.

"Lafayette, do you know where Eddie is?"

"Mother fucker just disappeared. I went to meet him and he wasn't there. I haven't seen or heard from him since."

"Was he supplying you with the blood you sold?"

"Yeah." Figures. We are what we were when we were changed; and Eddie was an overweight doughboy with a self-esteem problem. He'd think Lafayette was a pretty good catch.

"Lafayette, you've never been to Fangtasia before. You were not held against your will and you've never met Pam. You know me only as Sookie's devoted and fierce vampire husband. You will leave here tonight with a new protective feeling towards Sookie. You'll look out for her at work when I can't be there and defend her decisions on her relationships to her friends. You will also do your best to discourage people from questioning Sookie about me or the man named Quinn who will be hanging around her. After all, you understand what it's like to be judged harshly for what you are. You will no longer sell vampire blood. You will no longer indulge yourself in vampire blood and you will help Sookie in her endeavor to intervene in her brother's addiction, doing whatever she needs to get him clean. As for where you've been all this time, you decided to take some time off to rethink the course your life is on and make some changes for a new and better you. If you see or hear anything about the whereabouts of Eddie, you will come to me with the information immediately. Can you do all that, Lafayette?"

"Sure."

"Good." I said. I brought Sookie back in and after she poked around a bit and nodded, released Lafayette. "Go wait outside by the bouncer; someone will drive you home."

He stood up and walked out of the office, still in a bit of a daze.

I walked up behind Sookie, gently brushed the hair from her shoulder and dropped a kiss right where her throat met her clavicle. I smiled briefly at her slight shiver and small increase in her heart rate. She turned around and leaned into me, pressing her cheek against my chest.

"There's plenty of time for me to fly you home, lover; unless you'd like me to just take you downstairs."

"If we go home, will you stay or come back?"

"I can stay," I nodded. We walked out to the bar and I directed Ginger to drive Lafayette back to Bon Temps. I looked at Quinn over Sookie's shoulder. "You can come back at dawn." He shrugged and turned back to the bar.

Sookie and I slipped out the back door. She climbed onto my back and I took flight. She clutched me tightly as we bulleted through the night sky. It was cloudy, so there wasn't much to look at. I could smell the impending rain. I wondered if we would ever fall into a routine or if it would always be one thing after another. Life with Sookie would never be mundane. I just didn't see how that was possible.

As soon as we landed in the front yard, I dropped my fangs with a hiss. "What's wrong?" Sookie said quietly from her perch on my back. "Someone's been here. A scent I don't recognize. Not your brother; not the shifter. It's a fresh human scent. Hold on to me." She did and I streaked around the yard following the scent. Whoever it was went to both doors of the house. "I also smell Fintan."

"Maybe he came here with the human."

"Why would he?" I countered.

"I don't know. I could call him and find out if he smelled the human. Maybe they were here when he was."

The smell of fairy drifted pleasantly through my head. Why the hell wouldn't Fintan mask his scent here? He'd know I'd be here. "We need to get inside." She didn't argue with me. The first thing I did inside was go room by room and check for new scents but there weren't any. That human scent was laid between the time I left this evening and the time we returned. Why would a human be calling on Sookie in the middle of the night? For that matter, why would Fintan? Then again, fairies were bizarre; who knew why they did anything.

Sookie was crawling into bed when I came into the bedroom. "I really liked that bed at Godric's," she murmured. Her eyes were at half-mast and she was curling up under the blankets. "Being in my own bed is nice, but that was the softest bed I ever laid on. It's a good bed."

"I can call Liam and find out where the mattress came from and have one shipped to you. Would you like that?"

"Mmmm…" She smiled and stretched like a cat. She closed her eyes and I ran my fingers through her hair.

"Rest during the day, my beauty and tomorrow we'll stay up and watch the sunrise."

I chuckled when her eyes flew open. "Really?" She looked hopeful.

"Do you think you could wait another few hours now? It's probably less than two hours off at this point."

"Probably not. Where would we go to see it?"

"Savannah, Hilton Head, you pick. We'll watch the sunrise and then spend the day in a hotel there and come back at dusk."

"Would you be okay with that?"

I shrugged. "I guess we'll see. I've got a decent amount of your blood in me that I can probably last a few minutes. We'll get a room with a balcony that faces the ocean."

"We'll top you off before it starts," she said eagerly. I gave her a half laugh. She was entertaining. And she was in love with the idea. She reached out and linked our fingers. "That would be really wonderful. I don't want you to suffer for it though."

"I don't think I'd want to make a daily event of it, but I think I can withstand it for a little bit." I stretched out next to her and she kissed the back of my hand and hugged it to her heart. I pulled her close with my other hand and she snuggled into my chest.

Sookie hasn't had a lot of romance in her life and God knows, I hadn't gotten to give her too much. She seemed to like the star gazing bit though, so we'll have to make a point to repeat that again soon. Some things came naturally, like wanting to show her the stars, but otherwise, I had to really think about it. To my way of thinking, not slaughtering her friend tonight was a romantic gesture; though she probably would say it was just the decent and compassionate thing to do. I didn't give a shit about decent and compassionate.

Sookie didn't seem to care about big gestures though. She was more about the little things. I could shower her with jewels, and I probably would too. I foot the bill for all the improvements made to the house. In the very near future, I was going to buy her a new convertible and have a mattress shipped from Texas, but what was it that made her breath catch and her heart speed up in anticipation? The idea of watching a sunrise with the man she loved. I could endure some discomfort and possible pain so she could have something like that. Sookie wasn't one to ask for things, which only made me want to give her that much more.


	27. Chapter 27

**27.**

**A/N: Sorry folks. I've gotten completely wrapped up in this season of True Blood. I'm one of the few that seems to think this was a great season, very strong. Yes, there were a few things I didn't like, but overall, I thought it rocked. And I am SO jealous that I didn't write Eric lick his fingers after ripping out Gabe's heart a few chapters ago. Damn that was priceless! However, it was really cool to see it on screen! It was a squee moment for me!**

**~Sookie~ **

Unlike Eric, who just pops awake and goes about his life each evening, I swim rebelliously to the surface, fighting off every second of waking up, especially when I'm in the arms of a hot Viking. The problem though was said hot Viking was quite literally dead weight and not the easiest thing to pry myself out from underneath. After a few sweat filled minutes – and not the kind of sweating I normally enjoy in bed with Eric – I finally managed to free myself.

I stumbled into the bathroom to take care of all my human needs, including a shower, and then I tripped my way over to my closet to find something to wear. There were little nightlights in the room to help me out, since the bedroom and bathroom were now light tight. When I was presentable, I moved to the door and the electronic security keypad. Though you couldn't tell from outside the room by looking, a second steel door had been installed in my bedroom doorway. From the hall outside, a person would only see the regular wood door, but if they opened that, they'd find this heavy duty door that slides into the pocket in the wall.

After screwing up the code the first time, I nailed it on the second try and the door slid soundlessly open. It felt like something out of Star Trek to me. There was a sensor in the jam and after I was through, it slid shut again behind me, securing Eric from intruders. If I wanted to get back in, I could pull open the light switch plate next to the door and key back in the code. I thought this was all clever of Pam. How was it she could trick the house out like that for Eric's safety and keep the aesthetic integrity I loved so much in tact?

Although I was determined to update things now that I could afford it, there were some things in the house I refused to part with. My ugly and ancient kitchen table for one; there were just too many happy memories at that old table growing up for me to part with it. But I wouldn't mind seeing new cabinets and appliances.

A glance at the clock showed me it was 11 a.m. Since it was a weekend, I was sure Jason was sleeping in, so I shoved some breakfast down my throat and headed out the door. Quinn was there waiting on the front porch for me.

"Where are we off to?" He asked falling into step with me. I stopped short at the bottom of the front steps. There at the bottom, just off the railing and tucked into a corner was the other fairy statue from Eric's house. I didn't know if it was Naida or Tana, but it was one of them. She was sitting in the grass by a pond and carved into her base was _A Thaisce,_ my treasure. When did she get here?

"Sookie?" Quinn asked again. "Where are we going?"

"My brother's," I grumbled.

"I'll drive," he announced, guiding me over to a dark SUV. This put me in a bad mood. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate Eric's concern; and I'd be lying if I said I didn't think there was a need for me to have a bodyguard, but it was definitely going to take some getting used to now that this new arrangement had been put into actual practice in my actual life. Just how was I going to explain this guy to Jason? I mean, at the moment, I was too pissed off at Jason to bother with explaining myself to him. Drugs? V? How could he do this?

I worked up a good head of steam on the way over to my brother's. When we pulled up to the front of the house, I threw open the car door and ran up to the front porch. I hopped up and grabbed the spare key off the top lip of the door, shoved it in the lock and flung the door open.

"Jason Stackhouse!" I yelled storming in. I wasn't really sure how I was going to go about this, instinct and anger seemed to be taking over.

Quinn followed behind me as I moved to the bedroom door. It was locked. Well, Jason wasn't the only one with vampire blood in him; mine came fresh from the source AND belonged to a thousand year old vampire. Locked doors didn't deter me.

I lifted my foot and kicked the door open. It broke right off the hinges.

Jason sat right up in bed. "Wha? Wazit?" He grumbled. He was naked from the waist up and I was pretty sure the waist down, considering he was not alone in the bed. A pretty and naked brunette swam to consciousness. The girl's eyes widened when she saw me standing there in a huff at the foot of the bed.

"Is it true, Jason?" I demanded.

"Sook?" He shook his head trying to clear it. Clearly it was a late night of drinking and debauchery with his latest chippy, who I assumed was this Amy he met at Fangtasia, of all places. Of course, now it was clear to me just what he was doing there.

"Is. It. True?" I demanded again. I marched right up to him and towered over where he was sitting, all rumpled and confused in the bed.

"Is _what_ true, Sookie?"

"Are you on V, Jason? Are you a drug addict?"

Jason's mind went conveniently blank. I didn't think he was intentionally blocking me as he's not clever enough to pull that off, but in his panic, I think he just blanked out.

"_Oh shit!"_ This was a distinctive female voice. _"She's going to fuck this all up."_

"Sookie!" Amy cooed. She clutched the sheet to her breasts and got up on her knees wearing a big smile. "I'm so glad to meet you. Jason's told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already."

"And are you the one that got him hooked on drugs?" I turned my glare on Amy. To her credit, she didn't back down.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about." She smiled largely and fixed a pretty innocent smile on her face. _"Stupid sister is going to put a kink in the whole fucking works."_

"You're God damn right I am," I hissed at her. Her eyes widened in alarm.

"You are what?" She asked.

"I'm going to put a fucking kink in the whole fucking works."

"Aw, shit, Sook," Jason groaned and dropped his head in his hands. Obviously, he didn't forewarn his latest and greatest that I could read her mind.

"Yes, Jason, shit!" I grabbed the sheet and then whipped it off the bed. Both Jason and Amy shrieked in surprised.

"Fucking Sookie! I'm naked here!"

"You idiot, Jason! V! V? How could you be so stupid? They _know_. Do you understand? Eric KNOWS. He knows you buy and use vampire blood. He wanted to turn you over to the police, but I convinced him to let me try and talk some sense into you first." I grabbed him by his ear and he yelped in pain. I pulled him off the bed, bare ass as the day he was born and propelled him into the bathroom and into the shower. I turned the water on cold, full blast.

"God dammit!" He screamed again.

"Do you know how the vampires punish drainers and V buyers and users, Jason? Do you? They _kill_ them! You may be a dumb ass, but you're _my_ dumb ass!"

"They'd have to turn him over to the police. They can't kill him. That's illegal." Amy said indignantly, pushing herself off the bed and shoving her arms into a skimpy little robe.

"So's buying and doing V," I shot back. "You have _no_ idea what that world is really like. You have no idea how things work. They think you've got something to do with the disappearance of some vampire Eddie."

"Eddie?" Jason gasped from the shower. I looked over at Amy, who had her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest. She was thinking that I was a meddling brat, but I got nothing out of either one of them about Eddie.

"That's who you're getting your blood from?" I demanded again. "You don't get it, Jason. This is serious stuff. You could _die_ because of this, _after_ your drawn out torture. And for what? A little high? Do you have _any_ idea how much vampire blood _I've_ had in the last two weeks? This is not stuff you mess around with. Eric's a thousand years old and I could probably push this house over. You just don't mess with this stuff!"

"Wait…you know a thousand year old vampire?" Amy asked.

She was calculating the street value of Eric's blood in her head and what they could get for it. My eyes closed into slits and I walked slowly towards her. Her jaw tightened and she raised her chin defiantly. "My husband is _not_ for sale," I hissed. "I won't give them my brother, but I have no attachment to _you_. I saw Eric pull a man's heart out from his body while he was still alive. If you think you can get the best of him, you're welcome to try. In the meantime, get the hell out of my house."

"This is Jason's house!"

"This was _my_ parents' house, you skanky bitch. Get out, or I'll throw you out."

"Sookie!" Jason's outraged bellow sounded from the shower. Maybe I was a little crazed right then, but this girl was not taking my brother down with her. He was already under suspicion of murder; I wasn't going to let this little trollop get the best of me.

"Go ahead and try," she challenged.

"I'll take care of it, Sookie."Quinn stood in the doorway, vastly amused by the show.

"She's not your job," I refused.

"Who the fuck is this guy?" Jason demanded, emerging from the bathroom with a towel around his waist. "Sookie, Amy's my girlfriend. We're in love. You got no right to treat her like this."

"Tripping on V with someone doesn't make you in love, Jason." I turned to my brother with tears in my eyes. "Didn't you hear what I said? They want to kill you. The only reason why they haven't is because you're my brother. This is really serious."

"Shit," Jason sighed and sat down on the bed. "Alright, let's figure this out."

"Jason!" Amy shouted. "There's nothing to figure out. Your sister is misunderstanding everything."

"Am I, Jason?" I asked, crossing my arms and looking down at him. "Is it all a horrible misunderstanding? Have you not been doing V? Have you not been getting it from this Eddie? Do you know where he is?"

"No, I don't." He looked right up into my eyes. Jason would never make eye contact with me and lie. But I got the feeling that Amy might know.

I turned back to Amy. "This is a private family affair. I would appreciate it if you took your leave." Boy, Eric would laugh his ass off if he heard my Southern manners just then.

"I live here," she shot back haughtily.

"Go on your own or I'll assist you," I said. I was done with her.

"No. You're not in charge here." She obviously had no interest in making nice with Jason's family. My anger was bubbling up inside me. I could feel myself start to tremble.

"_What the fuck?"_

"Sook?" Jason picked his head up slowly and eyed me. "Are you alright? Why are you – Sook, what's going on?"

"Okay, this is bad," Quinn said stepping in the room. "Sookie, you're going to want to calm down."

"What's going on? Why is she glowing? What's the matter with my sister? Amy, is this some aftershock?"

But Amy couldn't answer him. She was frozen in place and looking at me in sheer terror. I reached out and grabbed her arm and she cried out in pain and shock. I wasn't sure how high of a voltage she was getting, but I was pretty sure Eric's never gotten it this bad. She was screaming hysterically when I hurled her out the front door.

"Be a pal, Quinn, and drive her somewhere. I'll stay right here with Jason until you get back, I promise."

"Sookie, I'm not supposed to leave you."

"I won't go anywhere, I swear. I'll stay right here. I need to talk to Jason, but I think I just messed up."

"I know you did," Quinn muttered. But he turned on his heel and left my brother and I alone.

I turned back to Jason, my breathing was ragged. I still felt warm all over. His eyes were wide. I reached out to him in my mind and saw that he was worried I was sick; that I had some strange brain tumor that made me light up, kind of like in that movie where John Travolta read all those books and Jason didn't care how much it cost, he was going to get me help.

That's when knew my brother wasn't at all smart enough to run some V selling-vampire kidnapping crime scheme.

But that didn't mean he was innocent.

"Jason, I'm really sorry about Amy."

"What did you do to her, Sook? What was that? Are you alright?"

"Well, I've got some things to tell you. Remember how I told you that a lot happened to me over the last two weeks?"

"Yeah."

"That's part of it."

"You turned into some kind of alien?"

"No," I said with a small laugh. I remembered Fintan's decree that I not tell Jason about what we were, but I didn't see how I could avoid it now, and I thought that maybe if Jason understood we were something more, he wouldn't turn to V. Of course, Jason was always a little jealous of my disability, but I outed myself just now. I didn't see how I had much choice. I wanted to save my brother. He was in way too deep now. Up until now, Jason was the only family I had and I couldn't bear losing him.

"I found out some answers though. I found out why I can hear people."

"Sshh!" Jason automatically hushed me and waved his hands. He looked over my shoulder out to the living room, checking to see if Amy and Quinn were around. His first instinct was to protect me, just like always. He really was a sweetheart when he forgot to be a dumb ass.

"It's alright; Quinn knows. Eric hired him as my bodyguard."

"Bodyguard? Are you in some kind of trouble, Sookie?"

"Yeah," I smiled a little. "I am. But Eric has made sure I'm protected. Quinn's really good at what he does. And then there's…well, then there's Fintan."

"Who?"

"Why don't I make some lunch and start at the beginning? Get dressed and meet me in the kitchen."

He nodded and I left the bedroom and wandered into the kitchen to see what I could scour in the way of food. I was surprised to see that for once, there was actual real food here. I supposed that was Amy's doing. I was disappointed that she was mixed up in this V business. She looked like someone I might have liked. I don't really have any female friends, other than Tara and now that my life has taken the turn it had, I was coming to the realization that I wouldn't be seeing too much of her in the future.

I simply couldn't go back to the way my life was, as much as I wanted to and as much as I liked my life before, it was just impossible. First of all, I couldn't be sure that my friends, the people I loved, wouldn't be hurt if some crazy supernatural creature were trying to get to me. Working at Merlotte's, which was once able to hide me away and be my safe haven, would make everyone there unsafe – except maybe Sam, who apparently was a shifter. I didn't forget that he and I needed to have a conversation as well.

I hadn't told Eric yet of my decision not to go back to working for Sam. Though I had only really just made it officially, I think I knew that was going to be impossible when I was spending time in the Fellowship's basement. If Hugo had been Jason or Terry or Lafayette, he probably would have been killed just for being with me, Bobby almost was.

Speaking of Bobby, I imagined Quinn was probably calling him now over the Amy business. I was sure both of them would rat me out to Eric as soon as he woke up, which meant I had another control lecture coming to me. Not only did I imagine Eric was going to be displeased with me, but I'm sure Fintan was going to be monumentally pissed that I intentionally defied his direct orders too. Truth be told, I was sort of surprised he hadn't popped up onto Jason's deck by now to try to physically stop me. I didn't think that was his style though. Eric said fairies were dramatic, but I don't think even Fintan would do something like that.

Jason wandered in, went to the fridge and took out a beer. Before he could pop the top off, I took it back and put it back in the fridge, pulling out a bottle of Coke instead. "I promise you can have one in a little bit, but I need you clearheaded for what I have to tell you. Are you clear headed now?"

"Yeah," he muttered and dropped down into a chair at the table. He looked tired, but he didn't look like he couldn't focus. I didn't know the first thing about detoxing someone off drugs, much less vampire blood. I doubt Eric would be able to give me any pointers, since the vampires' method of detoxing was just killing the human. Jason didn't look like he was at that point yet.

"Alright," I nodded. Quinn returned and I didn't ask where Amy was. I didn't want Jason distracted at the moment. I dove into my story as I made lunch for all three of us. Quinn tried at several points to get me to stop or at the very least tone down some stuff, but I didn't. When I was done eating, I cleaned up as I talked, then I moved on to cleaning the kitchen. Before I knew it, I was tossing laundry in, cleaning the living room, bagging up garbage, emptying spoiled food from the refrigerator, and dusting. It kept me busy.

Jason just sat at the table in stunned silence. When I finally got to the end with the Authority offering me a job and returning to Louisiana, I got Jason a beer myself. I figured he could use it. I looked over at the clock and saw that it took me three hours to explain everything to him.

I gave him a little time to absorb it. A light breeze could have knocked him off his chair. "I don't know where to start," he shrugged. "I guess I should be shocked you got _married_ and I haven't even met the guy yet, but I think the microwave fingers trumps it. We have a _fairy grandfather_?"

"It's crazy, I know, and he looks just like you. I mean, he's a dead ringer."

"I don't look like no fucking old man."

"No, no." I said quickly and then explained how old Fintan was and how fairies age. I then proceeded to explain, again, why we had never met him before and why he probably wouldn't meet Jason.

Jason looked at me a long while again and then took a long pull of his beer. I knew he was going to need some time with all of this. I would. I could hardly believe it all myself and it happened to me.

"And so Hadley's alive."

"Yes."

"And fucking a vampire Queen."

"She seems pretty happy."

"Who's gonna marry Eric's, like, dad."

"Yes."

"Who is married to you and I have yet to meet him."

"You will. Tonight if you want."

"Sookie, how am I supposed to believe any of this?"

"Well, vampires exist, how is all the other ones that farfetched?"

"Sookie, you know all my life I've stood up for you. I've gotten in countless fights for you. I wouldn't let no one send you to no shrinks or anything. But Sook, I mean, people can't just turn into shit."

"Well, that I can at least back her up on," Quinn said rising. He began to take off his clothes.

"Whoa, what's this?" Jason rose up from his chair with his hands out and backed up a bit. "You just keep your clothes on."

Before either Jason or myself could say anything else, there was a big Bengal tiger standing in Jason's living room.

"Holy fuck," Jason squeaked. "It's a fucking tiger. There's a _fucking tiger_ in my house." He picked up the chair and held it out to Quinn like he should have a whip in his other hand. I rolled my eyes.

"He's not going to hurt you, Jason. He can understand you. Right now, he'd only hurt you if you were hurting me."

Jason held out his hand real slow and inched towards Quinn's head. He jerked back a few times before he finally got brave enough to actually pet him. "He's real," he said in awe. "The guy just turned into a real tiger. God, Sook, who needs drugs when you can see shit like this without them! A fucking tiger!"

Quinn shimmied back to his human form and I diverted my eyes from his naked body while he got dressed. These supes, no matter what their species, just didn't seem to be modest about getting naked around strangers.

"So if someone is coming after my sister, you're going to turn into a tiger and fuck 'em up?"

"That's the loose plan," Quinn said dryly.

My blood started to race and I knew Eric was up. I looked out the kitchen window. The sun was still high in the sky and the kitchen microwave said it was 4:15. A second later, my cell phone squealed. I crossed to my purse and dug it out.

"Hello," I greeted.

"Good afternoon, my lover," he replied easily. Nothing seemed amiss there. He felt like he was in a fine mood. "You're not here."

"I'm over at my brother's."

"How'd that go?"

"Umm…interesting."

"Did you take care of the situation?"

"I think so. He wants to meet you. I told him, Eric; all of it."

He was quiet for a moment and then he chuckled. "All of it, all of it?"

"Yes."

"Your grandfather's going to have some problems with that. I look forward to getting in his face about it. Bring your brother by; Bobby's beeping in now."

"Yeah, like he just couldn't wait," I murmured.

"What's that, my love?" Though I knew perfectly well he could hear me.

"Nothing. I'll see you in a few minutes." I disconnected and glared at Quinn. "You called Bobby, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"Traitor," I hissed, but he shrugged. I don't know how he thought we were going to establish any trust between us if he kept ratting me out over everything. "Come meet Eric, Jason, I could use the backup."

"Should I get my gun?"

"Couldn't hurt," I sighed, slinging my purse over my shoulder and trudging out the door.

**~Eric~**

I disconnected my call with Bobby and closed my eyes. If I could sigh, I would sigh heavily right now. Ms. Burly was now in Fangtasia and would soon be glamoured by Pam. Pam wouldn't erase her memory of everything, just Sookie's little light show, then she was going to dig for information about the missing Eddie and V dealing. I found myself wishing I could take deep breaths to calm myself down. Instead I counted to 500, then 1,000. How was I supposed to protect Sookie when she was so hell bent on fighting me at every turn? Was not using her lightning fingers in front of others really such a hard request? Was I being too overbearing about that? Was it really _so_ hard to restrain herself and I just didn't understand?

I heard a car pull up into the driveway. I hated that I couldn't go outside right then and confront Sookie right off the bat; that I was paralyzed to stay inside and wait for her to come in. I was not a man that liked waiting. It wasn't that she couldn't feel my frustration and anger then. She could go take a walk in the woods in the hopes that I was going to cool off and there wouldn't be a damn thing I could do about it – well, except for calling my blood home and I knew no matter how mad I was, unless she was in danger of running out into traffic under some sort of trance, that was something I could never do.

Tempting though it was.

I felt her nerves and was sure she was expecting my rant as soon as she opened the front door. Instead, I plastered a smile on my face and greeted her brother politely. My very nature was rebelling inside against me not immediately punishing this insignificant human for his crimes against my species. Sookie felt my inner battle, grabbed my hand and squeezed. Comfort flowed from her into me. I looked down at her and tried to show indifference, but she was looking up at me so earnestly, so determined to make me feel better that I deflated. She quite simply busts me apart when she looks at me like that.

This fairy kung fu whammy of hers was getting awfully potent.

I counted to 1,000 again for good measure, not that any of them noticed me taking the time to do it, and reminded myself that I loved this woman with the heat of a supernova and it was not my intention to upset her.

Even when she was frustrating as all fucking hell.

"Eric, this is my brother, Jason," Sookie smiled. "Jason, this is Eric, my, um, husband."

Jason stuck his hand out for me to shake. I looked down at his outstretched hand and then back up at him with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, Jason, vampires, they, uh, don't shake hands," Sookie fumbled through the explanation. Jason stuck his hand quickly back into his pocket.

"Well, it's nice to meet you anyhow," he said, then he crossed to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer and took a long drink, eyeing me critically. I knew I was being sized up. I also knew that he was coming to the realization that he could not, in fact, kick my ass. "You hired that guy for my sister?" He gestured to Quinn with his gun.

"Yes," I answered simply.

"Well, uh, thanks. Sook, she needs more looking after than most girls."

Truer words were never spoken.

As Jason continued to pretend that he wasn't terrified of me, I decided that despite his choice in recreational drugs, I kind of liked him. At least, I thought after a few decades I had the potential to like him. He looked like Fintan, which annoyed me for sure, but he had the same eyes as Sookie and I secretly admitted that that softened me a bit. I had to respect the fact that I knew he was trying to think of ways to kill me and Quinn if he thought Sookie was really in danger from us. He was fiercely protective of his sister. I saw that the very first time I laid eyes on them both in Merlotte's. The problem was he was too stupid to effectively protect her if someone were coming at him with a weapon other than their fist. A shotgun wasn't likely to be effective against a supernatural being, given their superior speed over humans. But Sookie's protection was no longer Jason's job, so I wasn't concerned about his skill set in that arena.

I did decide, however, that because I was blindingly in love with his sister, that I would give him a gift – other than the gift of not killing him, I mean. At my first opportunity, translate that to when Sookie fell asleep or was not in hearing distance of me, I would instruct Pam to glamour the memories of Ms. Amy Burly right out of Jason's brain, along with any memories of his V addiction. I would have her hypnotize the whole unpleasant experience right out of his mind. Then, since I was feeling so generous towards my wife, I'd have Pam head down to the Bon Temps sheriff's station and glamour those idiots away from their suspicion of Jason as their killer. Any human idiot with two eyes could see this boy did not kill women. The more time they wasted trying to pin the murders on Jason, the more time was taken away from actually finding the real killer.

I smiled. Yes, I thought I was being very generous. I looked down at Sookie, who was now looking adoringly up at me and I felt a goofy smile spread across my face.

God damn this whammy of hers!

I dropped her hand with a growl of frustration and stormed across the kitchen. She was not going to make me forget that I was mad at her for her latest lack of restraint. I would not be swayed from that point, despite the fact she was looking at me like she wanted to tear my clothes off; that her chest was heaving and she – dear God – just licked her lips.

She was trying to kill me. I mean really kill me. She could do it too. She was about to bring me to my knees and it was going to be ugly and embarrassing and she was biting down on the tip of her finger and I was finding myself not caring if there was an audience.

I focused back on Jason. "I imagine you have some questions." They were usually stupid ones when people met a vampire for the first time. How sharp are your fangs? Do you turn into a bat? Stupid shit like that.

"What are you doing awake now?"

Well, that one was actually pretty astute and a little invasive. I was impressed.

"Sookie's fairy blood." I answered simply and his eyes narrowed.

"How's that work?"

I really wasn't inclined to get into it any more than that. I was already awfully accommodating. "It's science."

"Science?" He said. "Yeah, alright, I guess. It's like a chemical thing?"

"Yes."

"Well, thanks, you know, for saving her from those whack jobs in Texas."

"I'm sworn to protect her."

"Yeah, well, like I said, she needs more lookin' out than most. Sometimes she gets stuck in her head and forgets to look around her."

Interesting way to put it and that explains a lot.

"Jason!" Sookie was indignant over the description.

"I didn't mean nothin' by it, Sook," Jason apologized. "But sometimes you get to listening to people and that one time you walked out into traffic."

"I was 10!" She shrieked shrilly. I grinned. I enjoyed this little peek into the girl she was. I imagined she was a pretty precocious child.

"It was a miracle you weren't flattened."

I think the miracle's name was Fintan and I was gaining a new appreciation for what he dealt with watching over her.

"`Course, it would have been nice to know growing up when I was getting my ass kicked that she could shoot lightning out of her fingertips."

"I didn't know I could."

"Jason, it's better that no one know about that little trick," I jumped in quickly, seizing my opportunity. "There are people out there, other factions, that will want to procure her for just that very talent. It's imperative nobody know she can do that."

"Here we go," Sookie muttered from the other side of the room.

"Yes, here we go. Again." I sent her a look of steel and she held my gaze defiantly. My maddening, frustrating woman would not ever back down from a fight with me. I couldn't help but admire her spunk…and I'd work that much harder to protect that spunk. "Your own government would lock you up and haul you out when the CIA wanted to interrogate terrorists. Who needs waterboarding when they could sashay out a pretty little Southern blonde and electrocute the shit out of them?" She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring fire at me and I walked right up to her until we were inches apart and she had to crane her neck to keep her eye contact.

Though her outward appearance wouldn't give her away, inside I could tell she was quivering. "Imagine, if you will, my beauty, that your government – or a foreign hostile government – got wind that you could also read minds. Pretty handy to have a telepath in the harem, isn't it? All they need is one skillfully shot sedative to take you down. What do you think's going to happen then? What do you think I'm going to do if a hostile government, or even your own, did kidnap you? I'll tell you, I'll gather my forces and go for the slaughter. I will kill anything that's in my way to get you back, to say nothing of what Niall would do."

"Stop. You're scaring her," Jason said.

"That is my intention. My intention is to terrify her and I will continue to roll out the horrifying scenarios until she understands that she should never whip out her lightning hands unless it's a life or death situation."

My hard eyes never left hers. I noticed the very first tremble of her bottom lip and I felt my heart start to crumble.

"I can't control it like that, Eric," she whispered hoarsely. "I get angry and I can't stop it. I'm so sorry. I don't want to disappoint you. I don't want to hurt people. Please…" Oh dear God, that did it. I felt the tear escape my eye. "Please help me." I reached out and crushed her to my chest as she cried in my arms.

"We'll call Fintan tonight and get him here tomorrow. He'll teach you." I tried to take her pain into me and give her back love and confidence, but it was hard not to get bogged down. First I had to release my anger and fear for her. There were dangers to her lurking everywhere. I doubted anyone would miss Amy Burly if I killed her, and she still might die if she was associated with Eddie's disappearance, but what if this happened in front of five people, or ten? I'd be on a killing spree. Not that it would be much on my conscience, but it would devastate Sookie.

I stroked Sookie's back until her sobs became quiet hiccups. Somewhere in Sookie's meltdown Jason and Quinn left the room. I imagined they didn't want to deal with a crying female any more than I did. She pulled back and wiped her cheeks, then looked up at me.

"Oh, no; no, Eric," she whispered as she brushed away the tear from my cheek. "It's not that bad."

"It could be that bad and I'd go mad. It would be Gabe times a hundred. The more power you show, the more terrified I get."

"We'll work together," she nodded. "We're a good team, me and you."

"First thing in the morning, you'll get with Fintan."

"Oh no," she smiled coyly. "First thing in the morning, I'm watching the sunrise with you."

"I almost forgot," I grinned.

"You're not going to stand me up, are you? Or are you starting to think it's a bad idea?"

"Not at all, my love." I ran my hands up and down her arms.

"Then I'll get packed." She started to step away from me, but I pulled her right back.

"Don't be ridiculous, lover, you won't be needing any clothes."


	28. Chapter 28

**28.**

**A/N: Oh season four…you went by much to fast… Okay, Sookie forgiving Bill was pure fuckery. Having said that, those three played that scene amazing! Damn if I didn't think she was going to stand there right in front of Eric and pick Bill. I think AB is setting up the blood bond and I like that Eric and Sookie are in love before it happens! I thought the first half of the ep dragged, the Marnie resolution was underwhelming, but the second half really cooked. Since I'm not a Tara fan, I'm not on the edge of my seat on whether or not she'll live. I do wish it was Eric that was there when Debbie came in though. **

**Also, I wrote most of this chapter after having popped a nice bottle of wine and drinking a bit. When I do that and write…well, it could go either way…you've been warned!**

**~Sookie~**

I tried not to gawk like a little country bumpkin as we walked into the lobby of the Hilton Resort right on the beach in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The hotel was lavish, to say the least. I shouldn't have been surprised really. I'd been to Eric's, which just smacked of rich taste; but Godric's was the fanciest, nicest, most stylish place I'd ever seen. And though I may not have been inside such ritzy places, I _have_ seen them in magazines and Gran used to love watching _Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous_. Just because I couldn't tell whether a rug was Aubusson or…whatever…didn't mean I didn't recognize quality, and this was it, with a capital Q.

"Reservation for Northman," Eric said smoothly to the clerk. I tried not to look slackjawed at my surroundings; I swear I did. I really tried to act like I stayed in this kind of place all the time. I'm not sure if the girl believed my act or not. Quite frankly, she really wasn't paying any attention to me. Who could blame her when she was faced with the Viking perfection of Eric? Especially when said perfect Viking was smiling right at her?

As casually as I could muster, I looped my arm through his and rested my chin on his shoulder. Of course, he was so much bigger than me that I had to go all the way up to my tippy toes to _reach _his shoulder, but he fed into my ploy by turning and pressing his lips to my forehead. I indulged myself and dropped my shields, listening to the slew of acidic thoughts from the clerk. I knew exactly what she thought of me now.

Hey, a girl has to protect what's hers after all!

Eric signed his name, took the room keys and picked up the one bag we had between us. And yes, the clerk noticed we came in with one small overnight bag for the both of us. I raised my shields as we walked away. I didn't want to hear so much that it started to bring me down, after all.

We stepped onto the elevator and Eric hit the button for the penthouse ocean suite.

"Are you _sure _you want to go through with this?" I asked for what might have been the hundredth time.

"My love, your incessant asking of that particular question is taking away from the romantic spontaneity of the gesture."

"Yes, but Eric…"

"Stop it, my love." He was forceful in his tone, but gentle in his handling of me. I could feel his indulgence through the bond. He was a big, fat faker when it came to me. I could feel his annoyance, but I was beginning to wonder if he could ever really be genuinely mad at me.

I didn't bother not to gawk in front of Eric when we entered our room. I had _never _stayed at a hotel this fancy before. In fact, this was the first time I had ever stayed at a hotel. Until Dallas, I had never stayed anywhere overnight that was outside of Bon Temps or Shreveport. Until Eric, I had led a pathetically sheltered life.

"What do you think?" Eric asked as I walked around the suite, checking out each richly appointed square foot of it.

"Eric, it's just beautiful," I sighed. "It's light tight?"

"Yes, my beauty," he chuckled. "Stop worrying about it."

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "I'm just so touched by the thoughtfulness and I don't want you to be uncomfortable. It doesn't mean anything if you don't enjoy it as well."

"I enjoy making you happy; I know my limitations."

"I'm sorry; I'm just…" I trailed off, at a loss of words.

"I know," he said softly. Of course he did. He knew exactly what I was feeling; he knew exactly how moved I was.

I watched as me glided slowly toward me, keeping his eyes locked on mine all the way. When he stood before me, I continued to study him. I watched him as he reached up and gently pulled away the binds that were holding my hair up. He ran his fingers through it over and over until it fell in gentle waves down my back.

He kissed me softly on my forehead, my cheeks, my neck, my collarbone, my lips. I sighed against him, content just to fall into him as he gathered me close. His hands ran along my flesh. I shivered at bit and he chuckled lightly. I could feel I gave off little shocks of electric.

Slowly he lowered the zipper on my dress and then his fingers danced up my back. He threaded them into my hair and his lips crushed mine. I yielded immediately, swept up in the fierce passion and possessiveness of the kiss. The heat flowed from him and filled up over part of my body.

I dropped my head back and broke the kiss. With a quick flick of his fingers, my dress pooled at my feet. I responded by pulling Eric's shirt up and right over his head. Chest to chest, flesh to flesh, we circled our way around to the bed. As we waltzed along, I unbuttoned his jeans, unzipped them and by the time we tumbled onto the mattress, they fell away onto the floor.

I groaned as Eric kissed down my neck, along my collarbone, over the swell of my breasts, around every inch of them. I gasped as he took one peak into his mouth and sucked gently. My nipples seemed directly connected to my very center; everything in my body started tingling.

I felt the heat begin to rise around me, a nice, gentle rise in temperature, warming me slowly like an oven. The lower Eric went, the warmer the glow. He pressed a soft kiss on the inside of each of my thighs and my breathing began to speed up. I thought I would explode with the first flick of his tongue. Pleasure wafted through me in waves and it felt like fireworks danced in my blood; whether the explosion of pure bliss was his or mine wasn't entirely clear and I didn't care. My fingers dug into the bed spread and I chanted his name over and over.

My vision blurred and the orgasm hit me so hard I thought I might go blind. The second it started, Eric bit into my thigh and I screamed. It felt like he pulled the climax right out of me, intensifying the little pinpricks of lusty satisfaction that frolicked lazily through my body.

I smiled as I drifted in that wonderful place between that zenith state and slumber. Not remotely finished, Eric kissed, nipped and licked his way right back up my body, stopping to spend time with each of my breasts. When he was above me again, his fingers fanned out to push the hair from my face. I was intoxicated with sexual satisfaction.

His lips moved along my jaw to my lips, murmuring all along in that ancient tongue of his. I had no idea what he was saying, but it sounded beautiful. I felt beautiful. With Eric, I felt cherished. I felt like I was everything and could be anything. Everything or nothing; it didn't matter to him as long as I simply was.

How did I get so lucky? How could this heart-breakingly beautiful man be meant for me? A man who could go to emotional extremes in seconds, but only looked on me with love. It never seemed real, and yet each day I woke up, he was there.

"Look at me, lover," he whispered. I turned my head and met his icy blue eyes. "We are forever," he vowed and plunged inside me. My legs locked around his waist as I took him in as deep as I could get him. I surrounded him and held tight as he pounded into me again and again. Over and over, I felt his thrusts as my heart pounded along with them.

The burn started slowly, deep inside and rolled its way out, picking up speed until it spun out of control and my eyes slammed shut. My fingers dug into his shoulders and I screamed his name.

But he didn't stop. He was not in the mood to be forgiving. He was not finished taking, so I was not finished giving. We rolled over and I sat up with a gasp. I moved to hold onto the headboard, but he grabbed my hands instead. I pushed against him and rode the fury out. I wasn't afraid of being sore later because I knew he'd heal me. Eric would never let me suffer a second needlessly.

I could feel the tension in him building. It was dark and suggestive. I was drawn to it. I couldn't turn away from it. I could see it, this midnight black cloud, getting larger and larger and slowly gathering itself around me. But I didn't stop. When he sat up, I linked my arms and legs behind him and pounded on. I dropped my face to his shoulder and sank my teeth into his flesh, drawing blood as his hands came tight up on my back.

Mindlessly the frenzy continued on, the steamy, dark mist billowing around us. I dropped my head back automatically when I heard the click of Eric's fangs. When I felt him blast into me, I let go. The light erupted from every pore of my body and what was left of my control ruptured apart.

Eric fell back onto the bed and I sat frozen where I was as the energy seeped out of me and I couldn't bring myself to care. My head was thrown back and my eyes were closed and I let the sensations trickle through my body. And when they finally simmered down, I could feel Eric inside me again, where it seemed like it was just me for awhile.

I fell forward and propped my hands on either side of his head, as my breathing slowly returned to normal. When I finally opened my eyes, I was surprised at the purely stunned look on his face. No, he wasn't stunned; he was absolutely floored. Flabbergasted even.

I could see the glow around us still. We were still joined and Eric was very quiet and very still. I began to feel concerned, even more so when Eric didn't respond to my heightened anxiety.

"Eric?" I asked quickly. He blinked but didn't respond. What the hell was wrong with him? I frantically looked over his body to ensure he wasn't burned anywhere. I began to fear that maybe the light was too bright. I didn't think about it; I couldn't stop it. I just felt so much at one time and I couldn't keep it in; I didn't want to keep it in. I never thought about what it might do to Eric.

"Eric! Are you alright? Cheese and rice! Say _something_!"

His forehead crinkled a bit and he slid his gaze to me. "What _is_ cheese and rice anyway? You use that phrase all the time, yet I've never actually seen you _eat _cheese and rice."

What?

"What?"

What the hell was he talking about?

He started chuckling, but soon he was roaring with laughter. He was so loud, the pictures on the wall vibrated. Talk about a belly laugh.

"What the hell is going on now?"

Had he lost his mind? Could vampires lose their minds? He sounded hysterical. I assumed he had Godric's number in his phone. I was starting to think I should call him and make sure this kind of thing was normal.

"Sookie, my love," he said when he calmed down. "My beautiful, radiant, illuminating love. That was amazing. No, no not amazing. Astounding. No, that doesn't sound right either. It was religious. Yes, it was holy. Godric could be right after all."

I shook my head, trying to follow along. "You're not hurt?"

"Hurt? No. Well, yes, I guess for a moment I was. That was quite a shock and very bright. It was more powerful than anything you had done so far, at least to me. I was completely engulfed in the light and it was…good. It was better than good, but it was alright. I mean _I_ was alright. I was wonderful. It was so beautiful I can't find the words. Sookie, you bring me to the most striking places. I never knew – never imagined – that I could go to such places and not, well, die. But you bring me there and I'm safe."

I never felt this from him before, not quite this strongly, this wonder and pure childish curiosity. I recognized the feeling completely; it was what I felt with him the very first time we made love.

He raised his hand and reached for my face. He stopped about an inch away and paused, then gently pushed my hair behind my ear. I was enthralled by him. He was completely open. I thought I had seen him open before, but now he was open and vulnerable. He was so caught up in his experience that I wasn't sure he could defend himself or us if he had to.

"You are truly divine and I never believed in the divine before. How could you be meant for me, but if you're not, how could I let you go? Who in the world, any of them, thought that placing your care and protection in my hands was a good idea? How could they leave the responsibility of you to me? And yet, I want no one else to have it. No one else is worthy of the task."

"Eric, you're starting to scare me. Are you sure you're alright?"

"My love, I will never be alright again. But I promise you, Sookie, I promise I'll make you happy. I will never make you regret the day we met or the day you fell in love with me." He sat up and slid us up the bed and leaned up against the headboard. I was still straddled across his lap, but my hands came up and rested on either side of his neck. I wasn't sure what was happening to him now. He was so content; more than I had ever felt him be; more peaceful. He was…changing, right under my fingertips.

And then that was done and was replaced with worry and desperation. I couldn't keep up. He pulled away and hopped out of bed. He pulled on his jeans, zippered them, but did not button them, which made me lust for him all over again, but he didn't seem to notice that. He started to pace at the foot of the bed like a caged animal. I reached down onto the floor and pulled his shirt on. I stood up to face him, but didn't dare approach him. He was studying me as he paced, growing anxious.

"Eric, I can't take this. What's going _on_?"

"You are bigger than what I thought, brighter. I'm realizing now that I didn't fully understand all that you were before. I thought I did, I really did, but it's clear I didn't. I'm not remotely equipped to handle you, to keep you safe. I want to lock you in a basement where no one can find you but me, but I know I would never be able to hold you there. My second inclination is to stick an army around you, but then everyone would notice and want to know why they were there, who's hiding in the middle. I can't very well leave you out in the open. Quinn can't handle you; I guess maybe Fintan can -"

This was ridiculous. He didn't even know I was there right then, not really. I did approach him then. I walked up to him and put my hands on his chest. "Eric, stop," I ordered firmly. His eyes shot from my hands up to my eyes. My hands were glowing on his chest and I yanked them away and put them behind my back. "Eric, I am the same Sookie I was when we got here. There is nothing different about me."

"There is everything different about you," he countered softly. "You don't understand. I'm convinced more than ever that _no one_ must ever know about you. You told your brother but he doesn't understand. How can I impress upon him the importance of not ever letting anyone know what you are? But how can I kill him and break your heart? Quinn, Nan, the Queen, Bobby…too many people I don't trust know."

"Eric, you can't just…you can't kill all those people, most especially my brother."

"I won't," he said. I believed him. But he was definitely panicking. He leaned back against the wall and pressed his palms to his eyes. I took advantage of his stillness to push calm through the bond into him. He smiled lightly and said, "Thanks for that; I needed it." He dropped his hands and looked at me. "You have so much power."

"Then Fintan has his work cut out for him, doesn't he?" I moved to him again. This time when I touched him, my hands behaved themselves. He pulled me close and dropped his face into my hair. He wasn't so wound up now.

"I won't fail you."

"You haven't yet."

"I could have, but I know better now. I can't protect you in plain view like that if you can't control your power."

"Eric, that was you. _You_ brought that out of me. That is what we made together. I think if we make a deal not to have sex in public, not too many people are going to be exposed to that."

"You're not taking this seriously," he shook his head and I could feel his frustration.

"And I think you're taking it _too_ seriously. That's me and you behind close doors, Eric," I argued. "At the moment, I felt like I could just let it all go with you. There's been all this inside and I never knew what would happen if I let it out, and so I did. That's not something I would or could share with anyone else. Don't you see? That's _us._ That's how you make me feel. I'm not just going to explode in the middle of the supermarket."

"Lover, tell me this," he said dropping his hands to his waist. "Did you know you could do that? Did you ever expect you could?"

"No," I sighed.

"Then tell me how the hell you know you won't do something like that standing in the middle of a supermarket?"

"Because _you_ brought me there," I insisted.

"It could be triggered just as easily by anger; you've done similar things before."

I sat down on the bed, raised my palms and dropped them. "I don't know how to convince you. It was different than those other times. I let it go; I wanted that with you."

"And if I live another thousand years, I will never forget it," he said softly. He knelt down before me. "I wanted to stay there, Sookie. I want to go there again right now and never come back. I could devour you there and not in a good way."

I could feel his fear more keenly than I could ever feel it before. This was not the same fear he has felt for my safety before. This was despair and helplessness, but there was a crushing love too. I don't think that I had felt his love this strongly before.

"You would have done it by now," I insisted. "If you were dangerous to me, we'd know it by now."

"I was never faced with this before."

"I don't believe that. And you're scaring me with this." I pushed to my feet and he sat back on his heels and watched as it was my turn to pace. "You're being paranoid. I trust you and the only other person I trust enough is my brother Jason. I'm not scared that you're going to hurt me. You couldn't, Eric. You never could."

"Oh yes, I can."

"Well, I say you won't," I snapped and he smirked. I don't think I had ever been happier to see that smirk, but it meant he was coming out of this strange mood. "You are not capable of it and you're just…scared. So stop this. Just stop."

Before I could blink, he was across the room and I was in his arms. His face was buried in my hair and I held him as tight as I could. I thought having telepathy was bad enough, now I was wishing for the good ole days when that was _all_ I had to hate about myself.

"Forgive me for upsetting you this way," he murmured against my neck. "I'm on unfamiliar ground and I don't like it."

"That makes two of us."

"Dawn's coming. Are you still up for the sunrise?"

"Are _you_?"

"Yes, of course."

I know he thought I was over reacting, but I brought out a blanket onto the balcony with us. He sat back on the chaise lounge there and I settled myself between his legs and leaned against his chest, cocooning us in the blanket. He indulged me with a deep vampire sigh as I shoved a baseball hat on his head. I liked the look on him, but the deep scowl on his face told me I wasn't likely to see it again soon.

"I won't be able to see a fucking thing if you keep mummifying me, lover," he grumbled behind me as the first rays of sunlight came up over the horizon. His hands clasped on my stomach and it took all of my will to not ask him if he was alright.

We watched in companionable silence for a while as the sun slowly began to rise. We were still in the shade and I didn't feel anything amiss with Eric.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"It pales in comparison to what you create, lover."

"It's even better because you're with me."

"Everything's better because you're with me," he replied. They were tender words, but there was sadness behind them. I still couldn't quite pull him out of the funk he fell into. I tried to force him, just a little bit, and by his chuckle, I think he maybe figured that out.

I dropped my head back against his shoulder and tipped my face up. He leaned down and met my lips with his in a long lazy kiss that turned into a lot of kissing and heavy petting on his part. I broke away when I felt his fingers slip inside me. Coming out here half naked had its advantages. I squirmed against him as his other hand came up and massaged my breasts. The sweet torture was drawn out. For a guy that should be shrinking from the threatening sun right now, he was certainly in no hurry.

As my orgasm began, he swallowed any sound I would have made with a kiss. I tried to turn around in his lap, I wanted him inside me. I wanted to return the pleasure, but he held me firmly where I was. "No, lover, this is about you now. You gave me the most wonderful gift before and now it's your turn."

"Eric," I groaned.

"Shh…look."

I looked out over the ocean and the sun was about half high in the sky. Beautiful pinks and oranges shot out from it and glistened over the water. The moment with Eric was so perfect, it brought tears to my eyes, but when I felt him squirm a bit, I popped up and tugged at his hand. "Inside, show's over."

He grinned and I yelped when he swept me up into his arms and brought me back inside, putting me back on my feet in the suite's living room.

"To bed with you," I ordered.

"There's one more thing, my love," he whispered, giving me one long, soft kiss.

"What's that?" I asked when the knock on the door sounded.

"Breakfast," Eric smiled. "But I'm afraid you're going to have to answer the door."

I looked at him for a long moment as the strength and life was draining out of him and I took a moment to truly appreciate what he did for me. I smiled slowly, making sure he not only saw my joy, but felt it, as well as my genuine appreciation. Then I squealed a bit and ran to the door as Eric moved into a more darkened corner of the suite, tossing off the blanket and hat.

The hotel server entered pushing a food cart and moved to set it up in the middle of room. I tipped him from Eric's wallet, and given the groan from the corner, obviously overtipped. Well, that was too bad. I knew what it was like to live your life based on your tips.

The hotel server left and I moved over to the silver lids covering the food. I lifted one and found a mouthwatering plate of all my favorite breakfast foods on it. Under the second was a bottle of Royalty blood.

I looked up to Eric and smiled brightly. "I truly didn't think we'd ever have breakfast together." I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my cheeks, and for once, he did nothing to stop them.

"Good morning, Sookie."

"Good morning, Eric."


	29. Chapter 29

**29.**

**A/N: Yes, Eric had a bit of a nutty, poor guy. Can you blame him? You guys are awesome with the reviews! For those of you that don't review, but have been adding me to your favorites lists, thanks so much! Sorry about the typos. Clearly I should wait and edit better when I decide to drink and write. Oy! That was just cringe-worthy. Did I really use the word "still" three times in one sentence? Ugh! Well, I fixed it in the draft and my beta still needs to get a hold of it so when I archive the story at Area 5 where Dead On is, it'll read a lot better.**

**Anyhoo, I don't own the characters. I'm willing to let Ball and Harris keep them for a little while longer (provided they don't fuck them up anymore than they already have). **

**~Eric~**

When you want to have a private conversation, there's no better way to go about it than in a very public place, especially when it's a vampire meeting with a fairy. There's not a lot of damage we can do to each other in public. We walked down by the casinos on the riverfront where no one pays attention to anyone they pass and if they did, they would probably only see two men extremely uncomfortable with each other's presence.

"Where is my granddaughter?" Fintan immediately demanded.

"At Fangtasia with Pam."

"Does she like your business?" he asked. "Does she like going there?"

Since he sounded like he was actually curious and not, for once, being surly, I answered him honestly. "I don't know for sure. I think it's a bit overwhelming to her; it's not an environment she's used to, but Pam is there and she will defend Sookie with her life. Quinn is also with her."

"You said it was urgent you speak with me."

"You _have_ to start her training, Fintan, as soon as possible. Her powers are manifesting quickly and not in a good way. I'm not sure I'm best suited for her anymore."

He looked at me sharply, clearly displeased with everything I had to tell him. That made two of us.

"What has happened?"

I told him all about the evening before, keeping all the emotion and inflection out of my voice and sparing no detail. Supernatural beings weren't shy about sex like humans were. Sookie, I'm sure, would be mortified if she knew I just recounted our lovemaking last night in explicit detail to her grandfather.

"She has more power than I thought."

"No shit."

"What is it exactly you want me to do, vampire?"

"Take her to Fairy."

I had given this a lot of thought. I saw no other way to completely ensure her safety, especially from me. Jesus fucking Christ, what was I supposed to do if her scent suddenly got stronger during one of her little expositions? She'd be drained and dead in less than five seconds. I couldn't take that chance. If she left, I would miss her like I would miss a limb, assuming I didn't go insane, especially if she were someplace I could never go, could never check up on her, but I'd rather that than her die because I couldn't protect her.

"She won't come."

"She has to," I insisted with a hiss. "I don't have the knowledge of your kind to protect her. _You_ made it that way."

"I want nothing more than to bring her to Fairy; I've tried already and she refuses. She refuses because of you and my grandson. The fact of the matter is she's got more enemies inside Fairy than out of it. I thought you loved her so much."

"I do; and that is why I will do anything I can to keep her safe, including giving her up. If her secret ever got out, she's as good as dead. She exploded, Fintan, light was bursting out of every pore in her body and it engulfed me and I never wanted to leave the place she brought me to. I'd have done anything to stay there. I'm not even sure _I'm_ safe for her now."

"You're the only one outside Fairy who truly is. Naida and Tana have chosen you. Do you think I _approve_ of leaving her in the hands of a vampire? Do you think that's what I _want_ to do? No, vampire, I don't want her anywhere near you. But this is not in my hands anymore."

"You're putting your faith in rocks!"

"I'm putting it in our legends and a power greater and more absolute than any of ours. She needs to be trained and I will do that, starting in the morning, but you are her husband, you have been chosen to protect her. If you say you aren't equipped to do so then the Prince will see that you are. If you need more knowledge, we will give it to you. She has what you call markers against her in Fairy. She cannot ever go there. She will either be killed there, or they will breed her. She _cannot_ go there."

"She was brilliant," I said. I wasn't sure what made me say that. "She was the brightest thing I've seen since I was turned."

"I cannot say if she will ever get to a fairy's full power," Fintan replied. "She may not have strong enough blood for it. And you had better hope not, vampire, because a fairy at full illumination is ten times brighter than the Earth's sun."

"Well, I wouldn't imagine I'd suffer long at that point. It's a hell of a defense mechanism for your kind."

"Not all of us can do it."

"Well, your granddaughter can. I can't help her if she can't control herself."

"She will control it."

"She's terrified she can't. What else can I expect from her?"

"What do you mean?"

"What can _you_ do, Fintan? What might you have passed to her?"

"That does not matter. The powers are different; she can have a power that I don't, that nobody in her blood line does. The only thing guaranteed to come from me is the telepathy. I'm surprised at you, Eric, you are not one known to be so self-conscious and unsure of your abilities."

I was thrown a bit by his use of my actual name. He'd only ever called me "vampire" before. "Because I'm asking you to reveal more about your race, let me tell you something about mine. When a bonded vampire loses his mate, they tend to go mad. Much like the loss of a child, it's one they don't easily rebound from, if at all. I would not be able to feel Sookie in another world and I would never be able to see her or contact her again if she went to Fairy. She would be completely lost to me. I could go mad, Fintan. But I'm over 1,000 years old and I was willing to risk it if that's the best way to keep her safe. I do not want to lose her, but if it is I that is charged to protect someone of her talent, then I need more information on what exactly I'm dealing with. I need to know that she can control it. So far, she has not. I would rather have her with me; I would rather be the one to protect her; I'm the only one I fully trust to do it, but not if I'm not efficiently prepared. I need to know if she can get brighter; I need to know if her scent can get stronger. I understand your need for secrecy from vampires, but you'll need to make an exception in this case."

"I will discuss it with the Prince and we'll decide what you need to know. I highly doubt her scent can get stronger. She is only exposed to me. She would need to constantly be surrounded by her kind for that kind of change."

"She thinks I'm over-reacting. She thinks it's just something I bring out in her."

"I do not think you are over-reacting."

"Neither do I." I felt justified now.

"I'll come to her house in the morning. There is more I need to speak with her about." He looked extremely unhappy with his granddaughter at the moment. I wasn't sure what that was all about, but let it rest. There was what I needed to know about the fairies to protect Sooke, and then there was stupid family stuff and that's what that looked like. We crossed into an alley and Fintan popped away. I reemerged onto the riverfront alone. I decided to hang around down here for a little while. I had associates and business interests down here I could check on while I was out for my stroll.

I was still mulling everything from the previous evening over in my head. I had a bit of a nutty, as Ginger liked to say – well, she's never said that to me, but she's said it to Pam. It's not that I've never had a so-called nutty before, but I've just always had them inside. I'm accustomed to letting nothing that's happening on the inside show on the outside. That I let Sookie see all that is a testament to what she means to me and how comfortable I feel with her. It wouldn't have done any good to hide it inside anyway, since the blood bond would just give me away.

Sookie has changed all the rules; not intentionally I know, but just by being who and what she is. I never had any intention of bonding with a mortal before. What would be the good in that? If the bond is broken by her unexpected death, that would be very bad for me. Ideally, the bond should be broken before she were to die, though now that I'm shoulder deep in her, I can't imagine ever breaking it willingly. It's clouded my judgment and that is certainly not Sookie's fault. But then I think that it really hasn't clouded my judgment so much as it's made me look at things differently, see things from an angle I never had before and since her feelings directly affected me, take them into consideration.

There is no way to accurately describe what I felt last night. I can describe what happened scientifically, but what I could never recreate with words was what I felt and how it changed me. There I was in the most luminous light I've been directly exposed to since I was turned. It consumed me. I felt warm, safe and welcome there. It made me wonder if I could really be safe there if Sookie got brighter. Did Sookie's love and connection to me make her my protector from that light? Could she recreate it? Would she even want to after my reaction to it?

It immediately left me feeling a harmony of all the parts of me; the good, the bad and the ugly fell into perfect accord. It was the first time, to my memory, I felt truly content. How could anybody want to let that go? How long could Sookie hold that light for? There I was in a place of perfect beauty, with a person of perfect beauty and I didn't feel damned; I didn't feel like the creature God never intended to make. I felt like I belonged there and I belonged there with her.

I had spent a lot of time this evening fixated on that place and getting back to it. _That_ is the danger; what I could do to feel that way again, what I _would_ do. I had thought that Fintan might give me some insight into the whole experience, but he absorbed what I told him and resolved to talk to Sookie as soon as possible. He didn't seem pleased or particularly alarmed.

After checking in on my interests in the casinos, I headed back to Fangtasia. It was getting late and Sookie would want to be leaving, or I would have to escort her downstairs. She wouldn't be able to go down alone since we still had guests.

The parking lot was full. Pam was not working the door; she had a younger vampire staffed there. When I went inside, Long Shadow was at the bar. It was packed tonight; it usually was when there was a band performing. The crowd was circled around the dance floor and as I moved into the throng of people, I saw why. There in the center of the floor, much to my surprise was Sookie and Pam dancing.

Pam never dropped the ferocious vampire image when the bar was open; she was always the bored beauty in black leather. She was wearing her black leather now and dancing with Sookie, quite suggestively, to a cover of The Rolling Stones' Paint it Black, a very ironic song to return to given my earlier conversation with Fintan. Sookie was quite the dancer, too, which was kind of surprising since she couldn't carry a tune in a bucket with a lid on it. Of course, she was dressed the exact opposite of Pam in a delicate blue sundress, with her perfect tan and a smile that practically took up her whole face and could light the room on fire. Every male eye in the bar was trained on them. Quinn wasn't too far away, lucky for him, but he seemed just as enraptured as the rest of the male population.

I hadn't really realized how much Pam might have missed genuine female companionship. She favored women as lovers, but she never bothered with anyone she didn't intend to fuck or eat. But since neither of those options were available to her with Sookie, it left no other avenue open. It was either be Sookie's friend or be miserable hating your maker's bonded mate. That wasn't very appealing. But now Pam seemed happy. She didn't _seem_ happy, she _was_ happy. I couldn't feel her as strongly as I used to be able to, it's been awhile since we've exchanged blood, but I could still feel her. What's more, I _knew_ my child very well.

Sookie seemed to be having the time of her life dancing with Pam. Pam spun her out and back, dipped her (during which she gave Sookie a long, sensuous lick from her cleavage up to her neck, which made Sookie shriek in surprise and squeal as if she was unexpectedly licked by a cute puppy instead of a vicious vampire) and then as the song ended, she twirled Sookie to land in my arms. Well, placed, my child. Pam leered at Sookie, gave her a wink and then turned away and pushed through the crowd of men now vying for her attention.

All the men eyeing Sookie turned quickly away now that it was established she wasn't available.

"Did you see what she did!" she asked breathlessly, with an exhilarated smile on her face.

"I did. She must still be hopeful I'll share you."

"I think she just wants to be outrageous."

"That too. I'm surprised you got her to dance with you. That's not something she normally does here. She's very careful about her image when the bar is open."

"I didn't have to try very hard," Sookie shrugged. "Besides, she looks like she's back to her public persona." Sure enough, Pam was back at the bar looking bored, uninterested and ferocious.

"Are you alright? Where have you been?" Sookie asked as I led her to a booth in the corner. She slid in across from me and Ginger appeared with a sweet tea for Sookie and a True Blood for me.

"I was meeting with Fintan; he'll be at your house in the morning."

She was a little surprised and choked a bit on her drink. Once she had herself back under control she looked at me. "You met him without me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to talk to him about what happened last night and you keep blowing the whole thing off."

"Eric -"

"Unsurprisingly, he agrees with me. You start your training in the morning."

"Oh do I?"

"You do not deny you need to learn how to harness your power," I hissed low enough for only her to hear. "He is going to teach you how to do that just like you asked."

"I don't deny that, no. And I do appreciate it. It's just…Eric, you make it sound like I did something _wrong_. That was something I wanted to share with you."

She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout and I immediately got distracted. I envisioned latching onto that bottom lip and tugging it gently into my mouth….

"I've spent most of the night anticipating the time when you'll share it with me again, Sookie. It wasn't wrong; it was so right. In that moment, lover, _everything_ was absolutely right. It was perfect, and I mean that in the humblest sense of the word. But I need to be sure you're not going to accidentally share it with anyone else."

"I just don't know how to ease your mind."

"Fintan will teach you and that'll ease my mind." I reached over and picked up her hands. "Sookie, please understand I don't see any of your talents as something bad. I think, with the proper training, you'll be a tremendous asset, even more than you already are. Extremely talented people are not wasted in my area, Sookie, and neither will you be. Beyond that, I want you safe. I want it more than anything else; it's what I've _always_ wanted. I gave you my word the night we met and I will do whatever is necessary to keep that word."

Sookie nodded and stifled a yawn.

"You're tired, lover. Do you want me to bring you downstairs or take you home?"

"Home," she sighed. Good, because one of the guests downstairs was Amy Burly. "I should be there when Fintan comes. You don't have to come; Quinn can take me."

"I want to come."

"You've got to work though. I feel like I take up too much of your time."

There was no such thing.

"No, you don't," I countered easily.

"I feel like you might be afraid of me." There it was then. She looked down at her hands and I reached across the table and lifted her chin with my finger.

"For you, my love; not of you. There's a huge difference."

"You're not afraid I might fry you?"

I smiled lightly. "Fintan doesn't think that's possible. You'll talk to him tomorrow and we'll both feel better. Let's go home."

She eased out of the booth and I took her hand as we walked through the bar. "You're going to bed with a microwave, you know."

I chucked and draped my arm around her shoulders as we moved through the crowd; I caught Quinn's eye and waved him off for the night. One of the things I loved about Sookie was she was endlessly entertaining. "I told you before, vampires like to try new things."

"And live on the wild side."

"That goes without saying."

"It's part of my job description to worry about you too, you know."

"Your job description? Your job description as an Authority telepath?"

"My job description as _your wife_." We cleared the employee entrance and moved further away from the building. She was really going to have to stop wearing those cute little dresses when we were flying.

"I think I'd like to see this job description."

"Eric!" She was frustrated and she slapped my shoulder.

"I'm just trying to get a rise out of you, lover. I'm touched that you worry about me. I'm not accustomed to it."

"I just wouldn't know what I'd do if you were hurt and it was because of me or something _I_ did to you."

We both had the exact same fear. That was oddly comforting. My life had changed quite a bit in the last few weeks. Not even a month ago, I would never have imagined this is where I'd be. In fact, I'd have probably killed whoever suggested it. But as Sookie climbed onto my back – and I considered getting her a harness – I realized that despite the many new challenges presented to me, I wouldn't have my life any other way.


	30. Chapter 30

**30.**

**A/N: I thought I should take a moment to clarify some stuff: these characters are a hybrid of the show and the books. I'm trying to get the best of both worlds, so if you're putting them into strictly one box or the other, they would probably seem a little off. Also, even though we're 30 chapters in now, this has only been maybe a little over three weeks or so for them, so they'll be reeling a little bit from time to time. They're entitled. Cut them some slack.**

**Speaking of 30 chapters, this story really is winding down now. I don't see me hitting 40 chapters in this one (famous last words). BUT, I do imagine there will be smaller stories in this universe because really, who doesn't want to see Sookie pull a job for the Authority? So, though the story will be ending soon, I think we'll see more in the universe at some point.**

**One more thing: After being hounded by readers far more clever and persistent than I, I have finally joined Twitter. Should you wish to follow me, I'm at Im2xshy, though I honestly can't guarantee I'll ever Tweet anything worth reading!**

**~Sookie~**

"Nothing's happening," I sighed in frustration with my lesson from Fintan. We'd been at this for hours and I was producing nothing, zilch, nada.

"Your power feeds on your emotions; you aren't consumed with any sort of passion now, angry or otherwise. The trick is calling it when you need it and suppressing it when you need to regardless of what you feel."

"And it's just that simple, too, right," I sneered in response. I was being a little belligerent, I admit it; but hey, he missed the benefit of my bitchy teenage years, for the most part. I think he's got some coming to him.

"Yes," he said simply, ignoring my attitude. "You are overthinking it and you are asking too much of yourself. You need only look inside yourself, but your problem is there is more than one person inside you. You need to see past your vampire."

"That's impossible." Wasn't it?

"Nothing is impossible. You are too accustomed to loving as a human; our kind, the fae, love differently than that; your vampire loves much differently than that. All these years, you have ignored your fae blood because you didn't know what it was and you didn't know what to do with it. The fact that you could be something other than human never occurred to you, despite the telepathy you had. That is my fault. But if I could change my decisions in the past regarding you, I'm not sure I would."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"I wasn't intending to make you feel better," he shrugged and I gaped at him. "You find that callous; to that too, I say we love different. If you want honesty from me, you must be prepared to hear the honest truth. And speaking of things we expect from each other, did it occur to you that the reason I didn't want Jason to know about me and what we are was to protect him? If he doesn't know about this world, he cannot go looking for it or me."

"This world will find him; it found me."

"It found you because you have the essential fairy spark, he does not."

"He's not going to go looking for you," I argued.

"You did. You wanted answers. He won't? He won't want to know why his sister shoots light out of her hands and he can't? He won't want to know why you have the powers, why you are special, and he isn't? You forget, child, I know Jason well too. All three of my grandchildren are now in the center of the danger."

"Shouldn't that tell you that what's going to happen will happen regardless of what you try to do to stop it?"

"Maybe," he shrugged.

I shook my head. How long would it take me to get used him? I loved him fiercely right off the bat. That was fae. He was extremely frustrating; even more so than Eric was, and Eric was pretty frustrating.

"Tell me about my fae family," I said. I sat down on the porch swing and he sat down next to me. I don't think he would have under other circumstances, but he did know me and he'd know I liked talking on that swing.

"Who do you want to know about?"

"The ones you say are safe for me."

"Niall is the prince and my father. He has always wanted to meet you, Jason and Hadley, but I would not allow it. I still won't. You will only meet him if I die. The same is true for my twin Dermot. You have cousins: Claudine, Claude and Claudette are your closest ones. Claudine has applied to be your fairy godmother. She wants to become an angel, but I have denied the request."

"Why? It sounds like I could use all the help I can get."

"If something happens to me, they will step up, but it is not appropriate for them to do so any sooner than that time. The more fairies you meet, the more exposed you are. They will prey on your human sensibilities and use it against you. Not all fairies have the light power you do and you can use it against them. Do not hesitate to do so, no matter who it is. Some fairies can disguise their appearance and they may appear to be someone they are not, so do not be afraid to use your power if you need to."

"They can disguise their appearance? Like as someone I know?"

"As someone you know that is a fairy. So far, you only know me."

"How will I know if someone is pretending to be you?"

He turned and looked at me then, cupping my cheek gently in his hand. "You will know," he assured me, looking right into my eyes.

"What if I shoot you by mistake?"

He smiled then. "I'm sure at some point, you will. It will hurt, but that shouldn't stop you."

"Can I kill you?"

"I suppose," he shrugged. "I would much rather you didn't."

"That makes two of us!"

He laughed and I liked the sound of it. He definitely had a face that should smile more. Jason smiled all the time. I guess because Fintan looked so much like him, I just thought that he should be more like Jason and smile a lot. Jason could get prickly, but not as prickly as our grandfather.

"Fintan?"

"Yes, child."

"There's something I've been wondering about and I wasn't sure if it was considered polite or not to ask, but I'm dying to know."

"What is that, dear one?"

I took a deep breath and then blurted, "Can I see your ears?"

Whatever he thought I was going to say, that wasn't it.

"My ears?"

"Eric said they're pointy. Are they pointy like Dr. Spock?"

"Who?"

"Can I see them?"

"Yes, of course," he complied by pushing his hair off his ear that was facing me and I was fascinated. They weren't as big as Spock's. They were the size of a normal human ear, just not rounded.

"Your cousin Claude had his surgically altered so he could move more freely in the human world. I just keep my hair longer or wear a hat when I come to this world."

"Cheese and rice, that's amazin'," I whispered and slowly ran my finger over the top. "I really don't know how my parents would explain it if I'd gotten those!"

"I would have most definitely taken you away," he assured me. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but since that wasn't an issue, I decided not to spend any time thinking about it.

"How _do_ you move from world to world?" I asked.

"There are portals. There's one right in your woods here. You've been by it thousands of times; it's down by the stream."

"Is that the clearing that always seems a little brighter and a little cooler?"

"Yes."

I nodded. I didn't want to push my luck by asking too many questions about it, so I figured I'd save it for another day that he was feeling so accommodating and sharing information about my fairy family. I liked spending time with him and I didn't want him to get pissed and pop away.

"Eric smelled a stranger here the other night. A human; he said they were here about the same time you were. You weren't here with a human, were you?"

"Adele was the last human I associated with. They must have come here after I did. There were no new scents when I was here last. The vampire is concerned?"

"The vampire seemed curious," I shrugged and dropped my chin to my hand.

He stood up abruptly and I straightened up. When supernatural creatures suddenly alerted like that, something was up.

"Honestly, child, how many shifters do you know?" He crinkled up his nose and I followed his gaze toward the driveway.

"Just Quinn really and he's inside," I replied, though he must have heard me because he walked out onto the porch with us. After another moment, I recognized Sam's truck. It was still far enough down the driveway that he wouldn't be able to see us on the porch, but I could see the truck through the gaps in the trees.

"It's Sam," I said standing up. "He's my boss, or I guess he's about to be my former boss. And he's a good friend." My suspicions about him being a shifter though had now been completely confirmed.

"Well, the tiger is with you; I won't be far," Fintan said. I grabbed his forearm before he could pop away though.

"Please stay, Fintan," I pleaded. "He's…different. He should meet you."

"It's impossible, child."

"No, it's not, you just do it." I looked into his eyes and gave him my best puppy dog face. It seemed to work on Eric. "If he's a shifter than he probably already knows about fairies and I'm about to let him down because of that. I just…I could really use your support."

He looked very frustrated. Then he looked really angry. Then he looked really annoyed. Finally, he looked resigned. "I am not letting you have your way because I'm weak like your vampire," he practically growled.

"Thank you, Fintan," I smiled. I kissed his cheek and then walked down the front steps to meet Sam.

"Way to stand your ground, dude," I heard Quinn say to Fintan.

"You have no children, tiger. Sometimes you just say yes for the sake of saying yes," Fintan replied.

"Wow, that's deep. Let me find a pen and write that one down," Quinn replied.

"Have you forgotten already, shifter, what happens when you toy with me?" Fintan challenged. "Do you think the vampire will be pleased with your inability to accurately retain information, especially regarding a species you're supposed to be protecting his wife from?"

"Alright, that's enough, you two," I muttered as Sam stopped his truck. I gave him a bright smile as he stepped out and looked at Fintan and Quinn curiously.

"Hey, Sook!" He smiled as he strode up and wrapped me in a big hug. "I heard you were back!"

"Oh yeah, from who?"

"Jason," he answered gesturing to Fintan on the steps. "Whoa. Wait a minute." He stood still for a moment and studied my grandfather. "That ain't Jason."

"No," I replied. "It's…"

"Finn." Fintan interrupted, nodding to Sam. "I'm Sookie and Jason's cousin from… Boston."

So I wasn't to explain anything about my fairy heritage after all. Well, at least he stayed with me.

"I didn't realize you had any other family," Sam said, looking back to me, but throwing Fintan an occasional glance. "Especially from up North."

"He's a distant relation," I covered with a sigh.

"He looks just like Jason."

"Yeah, it's kind of creepy sometimes." I said with a nervous laugh.

"Who's the other guy?" Sam was a lot more tense when looking to Quinn. He must be able to smell him.

"That's John Quinn. He's a bodyguard Eric hired for me."

"Wow, I've heard of him."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's sort of famous in the supernatural community."

"No kidding?" I looked back over at Quinn where he stood rock still and assessing Sam. He had identified Sam as a full shifter. I wasn't sure what that really meant, but he was wondering what form Sam would turn into if he was challenged. I guessed Sam could do more than one animal.

"Eric hired you a bodyguard? Are you in some kind of trouble, Sookie?"

"Well, it's a long story," I muttered. "Why don't you come on inside and we'll talk? We've got a lot to talk about."

Sam and I walked up the steps and across the porch. Fintan ordered Quinn to stay outside. Quinn didn't like that and of course there was some back and forth between them before I heard a quick electrical buzz. I guess Fintan must have threatened Quinn effectively enough because he was the only one that followed us inside.

Unfortunately, I think Sam likewise heard it because he was eyeing Fintan more closely. I could tell Sam knew there was something more to Fintan, but couldn't figure out what it was. I was comforted by the discovery that not all supes could accurately identify a fairy.

"I heard about the trouble at the Fellowship," Sam said once we reached the kitchen. I pulled out some lemonade and poured three glasses, but Fintan wouldn't touch his. Once I realized it was because it would kill him, I poured his down the sink and gave him a fresh glass with water. Sam arched an eyebrow as he watched me move around the kitchen, then looked at Fintan again. "Anyway, I'm glad to see you're alright."

"Yeah, that was an unpleasant experience. But once Eric got me back to Godric's they gave me human blood and Eric gave me some of his, so I healed faster. I'm okay now."

The three of us sat down at the table and the silence stretched out for a few long moments.

"Look -" Sam and I started at the same time and then laughed nervously.

"Ladies first," he gestured.

"I wanted to talk to you about a few things, Sam." I began. "First, I kind of figured out… what you are."

"Figured out or Eric told you?"

"Figured out. When I told him my suspicions, he neither confirmed nor denied."

"And he thinks that's considered keeping his word?" Sam sneered, sitting back in his chair.

"He knows you're important to me, Sam, he wanted me to hear it from you."

"Well, isn't that just so nice of him."

"Yes, Sam, it is," I said softly. He looked sorry for a second, but not actually enough to apologize for it. "Cheese and rice, what _is_ it with all you supes?" I pushed away from the table and began to pace. "Why is it when I tell him you're important to me, he can respect that? He may not like it, but he respects it. But when I tell any of my friends that _he's _important to me none of you can seem to show that same courtesy?"

"Sook -" Sam began.

"No, you listen to me, Sam. Eric and I are married."

All the color drained from Sam's face. "What?"

"That's right. There are lots of reasons for that. One being for my safety. There have been a lot of threats against me recently and that's why he hired Quinn and one of the reasons we got married. But the most important reason is because he _loves_ me, Sam. And I know it's true because we're bonded."

"Oh God," Sam dropped his face to his hands and groaned.

"It's not a bad thing!"

"So you think because he controls what you feel and what you think!"

"No, he doesn't, Sam," I insisted. "The glamouring and all the other vampire tricks, they don't work on me; they don't work on telepaths."

"Jesus Christ, Sookie, watch what you say!" Sam looked over at Fintan and then stood up protectively in between us.

"He knows, Sam." I replied. "He knows everything about me."

"Yeah, well…I still don't think you should be blurting it out like that. What does Jason think about all this?"

"He's okay with it."

"He can't possibly be. Since when?"

"Since I sat him down and explained everything to him. There are things I can't tell even you. I wish I could, Sam, I really do because I think you of all people would understand the best, but I can't."

"Because _Eric_ says?"

"Because her family says, _shifter_," Fintan stated firmly rising out of the chair. Sam did a double take in Fintan's direction. He didn't like the fact that Fintan could identify him, but he still couldn't identify what Fintan was.

Sam took a deep breath and then slowly turned back to me. "I don't mean to give you a hard time, Sook, I swear to God, I don't. I'm just so worried about you. You meet this vampire, who's the area sheriff and then disappear. When you reappear, he announces you're disappearing again to Texas. Then he's on the vampire news carrying you out of the Fellowship, you're covered in blood -" Sam cut himself off and then snapped his gaze to Fintan. "Jesus fucking Christ."

Fintan crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the kitchen countertop. "I'm impressed your shifter brain put that together so quickly."

"You're the angel of mercy in the video." Sam looked more than a little spooked. "There's whisperings that you're a fairy, but that's impossible. Fairies are extinct."

"I will neither confirm nor deny," Fintan echoed my words, pushing off the countertop and taking a few steps toward Sam.

"Why not?" Sam demanded. He faced Fintan full on and I was suddenly becoming very nervous there was going to be a showdown.

"Because confirmation on my part would result in your immediate execution. You may not have been paying attention during this conversation, but you are important to Sookie. My killing you would upset her."

"Yes, I would be very upset if you killed him," I stepped in between them. I put my hand on Fintan's chest and was about to do the same thing to Sam, but Fintan snatched my hand away. I think he was afraid of me inadvertently outing us both by physical contact with Sam when I was so upset.

"You can't kill me," Sam challenged.

"I can kill you no matter what form you take, pup," Fintan seethed. "Why don't you go out on the porch and ask the tiger all about it?"

"This is ridiculous! You're both acting like children! All I want to do is explain to Sam what's been going on, so he understands!"

"It doesn't look like he wants to understand, child," Fintan replied. "He'd rather remain ignorant so he can go about his happy little shifter life as the hypocrite he is."

"Oh, _I'm _the hypocrite."

"Yes, you insolent fool. She wants to confide in you as a trusted friend, but you sit there in judgment of her before hearing any of the facts. Where is your support for your good friend? Where is your understanding of the prejudices she's facing? Shouldn't someone who is also _different_ be able to understand the position she has found herself in through no wrong-doing of her own? Sooner or later the world will know of you as well, shifter, you'll need a sympathetic friend then, but you will have driven away the one person who would understand and make things easier for you."

I could cut the tension in the room with a knife. And right about now, I wished I could knock their heads together. I was tired of being surrounded by fighting. I was tired of having to explain myself and my life every time I turned around.

But right then, as my blood came alive, I realized I didn't have to fight or explain myself any longer.

Eric was awake.


	31. Chapter 31

**31.**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine; no copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: If you're interested in seeing what I don't have to say on Twitter, I'm at Im2xshy. Also, I have no beta in this fandom, so I'm afraid all the mistakes you see are mine. I try and go through the chapters with a fine tooth comb before posting, but some things still occasionally slip through.**

**~Eric~**

What

The

Fuck?

The moment I woke up, I could feel Sookie's distress. Someone was about to be punished; and it smelled like a shifter.

I was in the kitchen in the blink of an eye where I found Sookie standing in between Fintan and Sam Merlotte, who were clearly squaring off against each other.

Sookie's immediate relief at seeing me was obvious. I shamelessly exploited the bond to perk her up.

"Well, I had originally come in here to break up a fight, but after having assessed the situation, I'm inclined to watch it play it out," I said casually. I walked over to Sookie, leaned down and pressed my lips to her neck, right above where it met her shoulder. Sam tensed and drew in his breath. He growled low in the back of his throat. I arched an eyebrow at him as I lifted my head. "Did you think I was going to feed from her right here in front of you, Mr. Merlotte? Rest assured I won't. Some things are private."

Sookie gave me a bright smile as I moved from her to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of True Blood. Ugh. I really didn't want this stuff, but I meant what I said. I would not satisfy the shifter's argument and show Sookie that kind of disrespect in front of him. I had no compunction about changing her mood though. Sookie electrocuted things when she was mad.

"It's amazing how fast her mood has improved since you woke up," Sam accused. Boy, he was pissed, wasn't he?

"Not really, since I intentionally manipulated it," I shrugged.

I popped the bottle of the blood in the microwave, set the time and turned back around to face Sam. "You see, I don't like it when Sookie's upset, especially as truly and deeply upset as she just was. Not to mention, Sookie's a little unpredictable when she's in that sort of mind frame, so for the safety of all here, it's best if she's in a better mood." I stepped to Sookie and pressed my lips to her forehead. "Forgive me, my love, for taking such a liberty."

"Given my track record, it's hard to argue with you, I suppose," she sighed. "How did you sleep?"

"Oh, like the dead," I grinned and she smirked in response. "Why don't we all sit down and hash this out like civilized creatures?"

"I was just leaving," Sam refused. He turned toward the door. I was happy to see that Quinn appeared in the kitchen doorway, ready to stop him.

"No, I think you should stay awhile, Mr. Merlotte," I said pleasantly enough, though my tone left no room for argument. "My wife has been fretting for quite some time over what her friends would think of her marrying a vampire. I would like to see an end to the matter one way or the other so she can move on."

"Oh, is that what you would like?" His voice held distain. Honestly, what was it that Sookie saw in him that made her so desperate to keep this man as her friend?

"No, it isn't. What I would like is to tear your arms off for treating her like some sort of weak half-wit that can't think for herself instead of the strong, independent woman that she is. She cares about you, you are important to her, and so I will tolerate you, barely; you can take a lesson." The microwave timer went off and I pulled the bottle out and began to drink. Ahhh….so completely unsatisfying.

"Sit down, Mr. Merlotte," I offered again. "You have questions; I'm happy to answer them." I flicked a look over at Fintan who was absolutely seething. "Or most of them anyway. Some aren't my answers to give."

Sam gave me one more hard glare, then reluctantly sat down at the table. I pulled a chair out for Sookie. "My love?"

"Thank you, Eric," she smiled.

I looked over to Fintan. "You may stay or go. It makes no difference to me."

Keeping his murderous gaze on Sam, Fintan walked over to Sookie, leaned down and kissed her cheek and then popped out of the kitchen.

"It appears he didn't want to keep your company," I said to Sam.

"The feeling is entirely mutual," he sneered.

"Frankly, Eric, I'm surprised he lasted that long," Sookie sighed.

"Sookie told you we were married, I assume?" I asked Sam.

"Yes."

"Did she tell you we had a full blood bond?"

"Yes, she did," he said between his teeth.

"You disapprove. I don't care. Sookie has been threatened by the vampire community, the Fellowship of the Sun and the fairies."

"I thought the fairies were supposed to be extinct."

"As you just saw, they are not." I waved my hand to the spot Fintan disappeared from. "A rebel faction has plans to kidnap Sookie. I have hired a bodyguard, but a marriage to me gives me the right to kill for her without asking questions first. I have killed already, more than once, both in defense of her and as revenge, and I will continue to do so. Beyond the safety precautions the marriage brings, I actually love her. I give you this reassurance not for your benefit, but for hers. As I said, you are important to her. She considers you a close friend, though you have exhibited no honorable reason for being the recipient of such a gift."

"Honorable? You want to talk about honor? You took her from her _life_. You snatched her from everyone and everything she knows and you dumped her in your violent world. You brainwashed her."

"If Sookie were able to be 'brainwashed' as you say, things would have been a hell of a lot easier for me these past few weeks, although exceedingly more boring." I replied. "The security around her going forward will be tight, Mr. Merlotte. Her friends are welcome to visit with her whenever she wants them too. I haven't kept anyone away, nor do I have any intention to, unless, of course, their sole purpose is to upset her. She is intelligent and strong willed; she does not deserve to be lectured."

"I don't want to lecture her," he replied. "I only want to make sure she's okay. I care about her. Her friends care about her; her brother cares about her. She has family here."

"Absolutely everything has been explained to her brother. He has been informed of things you are not now, nor will be in the future, privy to. He trusts my judgment. If you don't trust Sookie to make the right decisions for herself, surely you trust her brother."

"It's not Sookie I don't trust," he said, leaning forward.

"No, it's me you don't trust and that's just too bad, as I'm not going anywhere." I stood up again and moved to stand behind Sookie, gently kneading her shoulders. I felt a wave of calm flow through me. I wasn't the only one manipulating moods this evening. "But this isn't about you and me, Mr. Merlotte, it's about Sookie. She doesn't just have my protection, she's also got the protection of the Queen of Louisiana and the King of Texas, as well as the Vampire Authority and the Prince of Fairies. You can imagine, I'm sure, the level of threat to her to warrant that sort of attention."

"The Vampire Authority?"

"Yes, they have put her on retainer to act as their official telepath. She's being compensated quite handsomely."

"You're saying I need a new waitress."

"It would appear so."

"I want to hear it from Sookie." Sam looked over to Sookie for probably the first time during this conversation, as he seemed to prefer to talk around her rather than to her.

"It's true," she confirmed softly. Sam swore and dropped his head. "It's more than just that though, Sam, please believe me. The people around me are in danger, grave danger."

"I can handle myself."

"I'm sure you can, but what about Terry and Lafayette and Tara? Or Arlene and Holly or their kids? Sam, I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to someone I care about because of me."

"So you're going to cut yourself off, is that it?"

"That's not what I want to do, Sam, but if it's the only way to keep the people I love safe, then that's what I'll do."

"You're choosing him."

"I wish you wouldn't see it that way."

"But you're not arguing with me over it either."

Sam stood up and paced away from the table; Sookie followed suit. I stepped back and leaned up against the counter again to give her space.

"I'm _different_, Sam," she said earnestly. There wasn't a being alive or, well, undead, that wouldn't be affected by the emotion in her voice. "I'm not a vampire or a shifter or a were. I'm something entirely different and no matter how hard I have ever tried, I can't make it go away. I have to accept it and I have to use it or I'm as good as dead.

"The fairy that was here before, he's not my cousin, he's my grandfather. Very few people know that, Sam. You, Quinn and Jason are the only ones that know outside Eric and the vampires closest to him. It _has_ to stay that way. I'm telling you because I trust you with that secret. What those fairy enemies have planned for me is a fate worse than death, Sam, and I can't let them take me. I can't. It would mean a war and I can't be responsible for that. I won't be. So yes, I'm letting Eric call the shots. I love him. He's the one that's helped me discover who and what I am. I'm begging you to understand, Sam. Please."

He looked at her for a long silent moment and he truly did look conflicted. "I can't accept it, Sookie. I'm sorry, I just can't." I felt her immediate disappointment and grief and was about to rip his fucking arms off when he continued, "But I love you, so I'll support you."

Relief flooded through her. It's the only thing that stopped me from killing the stupid son of a bitch. He truly was not worth a minute of her time. He looked over at me, a little braver now. "Besides, Lafayette's a big defender of you."

"Yes," I smiled mischievously. "I'm sure he is."

Sam looked sadly back over at Sookie. "I don't have to like what you're choosing, Sookie, even you can't ask that of me. But I'll get your back. I promise that you can count on me."

"Thank you, Sam," she smiled and hugged him. I tried to hide my disgust, but I couldn't help it. Now she was going to smell like a stupid shifter.

"I'm going to miss you around the bar," he smiled.

"I'll be in to visit," she promised.

"I better get back."

Yes, it was past time he made his exit. She forgave him; I didn't. And we only had countless more times to go through this ridiculousness with the rest of her ignorant friends. Before she came into my life, there was no one I would have endured this crap for. No one. At least, not unless I was somehow ordered to and had no choice.

After Sam left, Sookie stood in the kitchen and watched the door he disappeared through. "Is it me," she said with a sigh, "or were things easier in Texas?"

"Minus the kidnapping by the Fellowship, Authority investigation and forced marriage?" I replied with good humor.

"Yes, I mean other than all that. Just life in general seemed easier there."

"Well, of course it is within the confines of the palace. The people at Godric's know you as someone that is to be respected. Your friends here, they don't know you like that. They don't _have_ to give you their respect. And, no offense, my sweet, but they're selfish. They do not care that the position you have found yourself in has caused you literal and emotional pain. The only thing that matters is you are not in their control anymore. You are not the helpless, pliant little Sookie they tried to make you be, but rather a strong, independent woman who possesses a power they can't possibly fathom."

"You _are _different from them, very much so. But I admired the way you stood up for yourself, for me and for the decisions you've made."

"The decisions _we've_ made." She stressed. "He didn't understand, Eric. Sam didn't understand that I made these decisions _with_ you. You said 'pliant,' yes, I think that's exactly how they saw me before. They knew I wasn't like them, but as long as I tried to hide my telepathy, they were perfectly happy to pretend it didn't exist. I feel sort of…liberated…now."

"Your confidence is growing."

"Thanks in no small part to you." She smiled and looked at me over her shoulder. "You've done wonders for my ego, Eric."

I moved behind her, my hands sliding up her stomach to cup her breasts, while I nibbled on her ear lobe. "Yes, well, I'm happy to stroke your ego and any other hard to reach places of yours that may need stroking."

She sucked in her breath and one of her hands slid up my neck and into my hair, while the other laced fingers with my mine while I palmed her breast. My other hand slid down the front of her pants to cup the wet heat between her legs. She squirmed against me and began to moan as my fingers started to bring her to her first peak.

"Where's Quinn?" She panted.

"Why, do you want him to watch?" I leered.

"No, I don't want him to see a thing."

"He left," I assured her. "He left when Sam did." His instructions are to leave once I woke at dusk, unless I instructed him otherwise.

I spun her around to face me, then lifted her up. Her legs wound around my waist and I moved us to the counter, where I tore away her pants first then my own. She gasped then cried out in shock and pleasure when I plunged mindlessly into her. I did not feel the need to be gentle and she did not encourage it.

"Oh God," she panted hard. "Don't stop. Don't stop."

Why in God's name would I stop? Why would I stop this ever?

"You drive me insane," I grunted, licking my way around her neck as I pistoned inside her.

Just when I think I can make it, just when I think I can get through a day without being inside her, I crumble.

She bit into my shoulder as her orgasm slammed through her. I wished she did that more because I could literally feel myself race through her veins on a mad sprint to the finish line. When she drank from me I was everywhere in her and a live part of the desperate frenzy taking place within both of us.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes to make sure her light was under control. We were surrounded by a dull, but pulsing glow. And when I felt my entire body grow warm under her glow, only then did I bite into her shoulder. I took long and deep pulls from her, getting as buzzed off of her as she was of me. It was only then that I realized she was still drinking from me.

"My love, you'll be well and truly stoned if you don't stop."

She pulled away and giggled, running her tongue over her lips to remove the extra blood. "Allow me, my beauty," I whispered taking her lips in mine again.

As I kissed her, I moved her from the counter to the table. Her lips were swollen, her hair was mussed and her chest was heaving. I ask you, is there anything in the universe more beautiful than a woman in sexual bliss?

Her fingers trailed through my hair and down my face. "You're very handsome," she smiled.

"You're very high," I grinned back and began to slowly move inside her again. She closed her eyes and rolled her head back, moaning softly. When she opened them again, she put her hands on either side of my face and drew my lips down to hers.

"Is it snowing?" She whispered against my lips.

"In your kitchen? In _Louisiana_? I highly doubt it, love. Do you care anyway?"

"No, not really."

She moved lazily with me on the table. I pulled her shirt over her head and spent some quality time with her breasts. Between her blood and her light, she could make my body hyper sensitive and it felt like every nerve ending was dancing.

She stretched against me like a cat. I resisted the near consuming urge to pound into her with the wild abandon I was just minutes before and instead glided softly in and out, relishing in the soft velvety sensation of her surrounding me.

"I love you, Eric."

"Tell me again."

"I love you, always."

This time, her orgasm was soft and I smiled when it reached her eyes. "You are the very best part of my life, my lover. I was very proud of the things you said to the shifter."

"I only spoke the truth."

"But you spoke it with heart and that made it more powerful."

"That wasn't exactly how I want to close that chapter of my life."

"I know. But I'm afraid I warned you that they wouldn't understand. You can expect the others to react the same way."

"Yippee!"

I chuckled and feathered her throat with light kisses, healing the wound I left as I went. "I don't have to tell you not to tell _them_ you're part fairy, right? The shifter was one thing. He already knows such creatures exist and will be more vigilant around town."

"I was wondering why I didn't feel you mad about that."

"I'll trust your judgment with him. If he doesn't give me reason not to trust him with that information, he can live. But you cannot widen the circle any more than it already is, my lover. If for no other reason than my own piece of mind, I beg you not to tell anyone else."

"I promise."

"How about a shower?"

"Sounds good."

"I have to go to the bar tonight. I'm afraid to leave you while you're this high."

"Won't Quinn be coming back?"

"Yes, I will call him."

"Then I won't be alone. Maybe I'll call Jason to keep me company. Oh wait, maybe rubbing it in that I'm stoned on 1,000 year old vampire blood and he's a recovering V user isn't the best idea."

"Maybe not," I agreed, lifting her off the table and carrying her to the bathroom.

"I'll just watch Buffy reruns."

"It will be almost like the real thing," I said.

She stepped under the spray, then turned and crooked her finger at me. "Not quite like the real thing."

"No," I agreed wrapping my arms around her. "Not quite."


	32. Chapter 32

**32.**

**A/N: True Blood's back! When I first started this story, my goal was to have it finished before the end of season four. That didn't happen. Then, my goal became to have it finished before season five started. That didn't happen either. There's only like three more chapters left MAYBE, so maybe I can get them done before season five ends. **

**~Sookie~**

I frowned when I heard the knock on my front door. I wasn't expecting anyone, but then again, my life seemed to be all about the unexpected lately. And since they got past Quinn, they must be a friend.

Unless Quinn's dead, which wasn't something I really wanted to think about. Of course, I did just have a whopping helping of 1,000 year old vampire blood, so I could probably handle most inconveniences on my own, not that I thought Eric would agree with me.

I did a mental scan of my front porch and came up with a "black hole," identifying my visitor as a vampire. Well, that was good news. They couldn't come in unless they were invited. Eric was at Fangtasia now, so I was curious to see who would be visiting me when he wasn't here and whether or not he knew they were.

I wiped my hands on my pants as I stood up. I had been boxing up old family stuff to donate or sell on consignment. It made me kind of sad to do it, but on the other hand, some of it really wasn't worth anything and I had no use for it. Since I inherited the house, I also inherited decades-worth of people's crap. I didn't see the point in keeping most of it. The attic was enormous and I could convert that space into something more useful.

I opened the front door ready to cheerily greet my surprise fanged visitor and came face to face with a mattress.

"Um…hello?"

"Sookie, my favorite fire throwing fairy! Your house is just…just…as cute as it can be!"

"Liam!" I greeted with pure joy. Oh, how I missed that obnoxious little vampire! "I'd love to hug you hello, Liam, but this mattress is totally blocking the door."

"Tiger, move that out of Sookie's way," I heard him order.

"That's not what I'm here for," Quinn grumbled, but the mattress moved all the same.

Once Liam came into view, I pitched myself through the door and into his arms.

"What a wonderful surprise! Is Godric with you?" I pulled back and looked around. I could only see Liam and his luggage.

"No." His face tensed up. "He's marrying _her_ this weekend. Eric will probably be returning from Fangtasia soon to tell you he has to go to Texas to bear witness to the dog and pony show."

"I'm not going with him?" I asked.

"Well, I suppose you _could_," Liam said, his face falling. "But quite frankly, I've come here to escape and I thought maybe you would consider staying behind with me instead."

It took me almost a full second to make a decision. "Okay. That sounds like fun!"

"Really?" I felt bad when I realized that Liam probably didn't think I'd want to be left behind. I kind of didn't. I liked Texas and I liked being with Eric.

"What fun is Texas if you're not there?" I smiled brightly.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down!" He clapped his hands together and I suddenly felt very happy. It must be really rough to be in his position and watch the person you love marry someone else. I don't think I'd be able to bear it so well. "I am officially anointing you Best Friend to the King's Consort. There's all sorts of perks to it."

"Sounds like it. Let's go in." I turned and cross over my threshold. I was halfway through the living room before I realized he wasn't with me. When I turned, he was standing in the doorway.

"Where are your manners, my new best friend?"

"Oh," I frowned. "That didn't count?"

"You have to say the words, my tasty little fairy cupcake."

"Okay then, Liam, please come in."

He was before me in the blink of an eye. "That's better."

He turned away from me and walked around my living room, studying everything very carefully. "Why, Sookie, this is…it's just so…I'm sorry, I can't fake it. Honey, this place needs help."

I laughed at the sorry expression on his face. Before I went to Texas, I probably would have taken exception to that comment, but now that I was making significantly more money on retainer for the Authority and I had already made the decision to do some redecorating, over and above what Pam had already improved, I was good humored about it.

"Then I'm even more glad you're here, Liam. I had already decided to do some redecorating and was only just getting started taking out the old to make room for the new."

"A project!" He was beside himself. "Of course, I only have 43 hours and 27 minutes to devote to the project, but that should get you far enough on your way."

I tried to hide my smile as best I could. He must be very affected by Godric's wedding to be counting down the hours until he could return to Texas.

I reached out and touched his arm. "Liam, did Godric make you leave Texas for this?"

"No, I removed myself," he replied quietly. His eyes were filling up with blood tears and my heart just went out to him. "I couldn't pretend my heart was broken when he'd be able to feel otherwise. At least I know he has no feelings for her, but I don't know if that makes it better or worse. To know that he's sacrificing himself for political reasons…"

"But _why_?" I asked. I walked to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of True Blood for him and put it in the microwave. He followed me, gave the kitchen an appraising once-over, clearly found it lacking, and then leaned against the counter. "If he knows how much it hurts you and he has no feelings for Queen Sophie Anne, why go through with it?"

"An alliance between Texas and Louisiana is strong. Monarchs prey on other monarchs' vulnerabilities. Sophie Anne is powerful and Louisiana is strong, but financially, it's not in the best of positions. No one would dare take on both Godric and Sophie Anne. Plus, the alliance protects Eric. Eric is a very powerful and effective sheriff. He's profitable for Louisiana and his followers are very loyal. Protecting him is not so much as big of a priority for Sophie Anne as it is for Godric. By marrying Sophie Anne, Eric is safe from any sort of repercussions from her for anything. By marrying Sophie Anne, Godric has more access to Eric for himself, as well. Godric can call Eric to his side at any time and command him to do whatever he wants just by being his maker, but a merger between the two territories means he can do it on the up and up. He can get around a lot of Authority rules."

"I thought Godric mostly left Eric alone?" I frowned. Liam painted a different picture of Godric and Eric's relationship than Eric had. When the microwave beeped, I took the bottle of True Blood out, shook it up and handed it to him.

"He does, mostly," Liam agreed. "But as I said, Eric is a very effective sheriff. A merger means he could legally serve Texas as well."

"Why specifically Eric though? I'm sure other sheriffs are…" I trailed off as I thought I caught the meaning of what Liam was saying. "Eric's more brutal than the other sheriffs, isn't he?"

"Yes, but he's also much older. He doesn't always have to resort to violence. Younger vampires, sheriffs included, tend to be more rash. And if brutality is what's called for, Eric won't be morally conflicted to use it. Many monarchs have already expressed interest in Eric; one even has approached Godric about a marriage."

"Other than Sophie Anne?" I asked.

"Yes," he nodded. "Godric has never entertained any of the proposals before. He has always been reluctant to force Eric into a marriage, no matter how appealing the prospect, so much so that he just all out stepped in with Sophie Anne. And it's a very good thing he did wait, Sookie, forming an alliance with the fairies is brilliant."

"How brilliant can it be if nobody _knows_ he's got that alliance, Liam?" I asked dryly. I didn't like hearing my marriage put into that kind of perspective. I know there were many reasons for it, but _my_ reason was for love.

"Nobody will know, until it's already too late for them," he replied.

"Could these other monarchs take Eric by force if they wanted him that bad?"

"They would be very stupid to."

"But _could_ they?"

"Sure," he shrugged. He didn't seem too confident that such a thing would come to pass, but I liked to know the possibilities. I'm not sure what I'd ever be able to do to stop it if someone did come to kidnap Eric, but I think it's better to not be in the dark about such things.

"What's the mattress for?"

"Oh that's for you! Eric said you liked the one in your room in Texas so much that I bought one for you."

I was so ridiculously touched that he would think of that; both by Eric for mentioning it to Liam and by Liam acting on it. I _did _love that bed and just the thought of getting to sink into that wonderfully comfortable mattress every night practically made me shiver in anticipation.

"Thank you, Liam!" I gushed. I hugged him tightly.

"My love, didn't I warn you about hugging weird vampires?" Eric asked lightly entering the kitchen.

"I thought you were at Fangtasia," I replied pulling away from Liam. It seemed that I had gotten accustomed to how Eric moved that I wasn't at all jolted by his sudden appearance in the kitchen.

"I came back when I received a call from the King. You've been informed then that I must go to Texas then, I take it." He gave Liam a small glare, but Liam didn't seem bothered by it.

"Yes, Liam told me. You don't mind if I stay behind with Liam, do you?" I felt a small bit of disappointment from him, which made me feel good. It meant he'd miss me, but I wasn't sure if he'd be too selfish to let me stay behind.

He looked from me, to Liam, and back to me again. "If you'd like, lover." Liam looked relieved. Eric turned back to Liam. "You'll stay here until I return? Not until the ceremony is finished, but until I return home?"

"Sure," Liam shrugged.

"Is anyone with you?"

"There are some weres; they're checking in with the Longtooth Pack to let them know they're in the area."

"I will assign Pam and another vampire to you, as well."

"I don't understand," I shook my head. "Is Quinn not enough security?"

"Liam often doesn't leave the safety of Texas; or more to the point, Godric's area, my beauty. Godric's enemies would love to get their hands on him."

It was then I realized just how affected Liam was by Godric's marriage to have risked leaving the area and exposing himself to danger and how much Godric understood Liam's need to be away. Well, I wouldn't say such a thing out loud as Eric would freak out and demand I go to Texas with him, but if anyone came near Liam when I was around, I vowed to light their shit up. I owed him and Godric a lot and I was prepared to go to the mattresses for him.

"Don't even think about it, Sookie," Eric said. His tone was soft, but his words were firm. "I felt your anger surge just now."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You are a horrible liar."

"Sookie, the likelihood of anyone knowing where I am is slim," Liam said, taking my hand. "I admire your courage and would love to see you electrocute someone on any other day, but you mustn't expose yourself on my behalf. The vampires and weres will be plenty security. Any of Godric's enemies would think I was hidden in Texas. They would not dream that Godric would have allowed me to come so far. There is a sheriff who has been instructed not to attend that back alley road show, so anyone thinking of trying something would believe I was under his protection. They have no reason to think I was at a barmaid in Louisiana's house."

"Well, I guess when you put it like that…" I said, though if I were making such plans, the first place I would think Liam was was Godric's only child's territory, especially knowing how powerful Eric was supposed to be.

"I will only be gone two days, my love," Eric kissed me on the forehead and I nodded.

Two days. 48 hours. What could possibly go wrong?


	33. Chapter 33

**32.**

**A/N: My, my, Sookie and Liam have quite the reputation for causing trouble! I love how y'all have absolutely no faith that they'd have an uneventful visit. I suppose it may be a tad bit deserved.**

**~Eric~**

"They're ready for you, sire," I said, walking into Godric's room. He was wearing his trademark white shirt and pants, a little more dressier than he normally wore. Godric wearing white on his wedding day, talk about irony.

He stood on the side of the very large four-poster bed and ran a finger along the duvet cover on what I assumed was Liam's side of the bed. My maker was feeling extremely conflicted, which was something that did not ever sit well with me.

My maker was infallible, larger than life, untouchable, my hero; the embodiment of everything that I wanted to be, that I held dear, would die for. I set Godric up on a pedestal so high that if he ever fell, the thud when he hit the ground would be deafening.

I walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "He understands, Godric."

"I know he does," Godric said softly, knowing I was speaking of Liam. "Quite frankly, I'd rather he rage and carry on. It's easier when he throws a fit, but this brave front he's putting on, trying not to pretend his heart isn't utterly broken…" He trailed off and walked to the window. "I did that, Eric. I went ahead with this knowing it would hurt him. It's the worst thing I've ever done." He turned back to me and looked at me straight on. "Never, never treat Sookie like this."

"We're already married, sire, thanks to you."

He smiled. "I had been tempted many times over the years to arrange a marriage for you, more times than you know of. I wondered if I was stupid to turn down some of them."

"Why did you? I'm certainly glad you did, don't get me wrong."

"It's tough to say," he shrugged. "I think I was a bit selfish at times; didn't want to share you with others, I suppose. You'll remember how angry I got when you created Pam."

That was an understatement. In his anger, he cleared acres of trees in the forest of Louisiana. He came very close to ordering I destroy her, but he stopped himself. And shortly after, he met Liam. Making Pam was a very uncharacteristically rash decision of mine. A good decision, most definitely, but a rash one all the same.

"Mostly I didn't do it because I thought you deserved more. I had created and nurtured the perfect vampire and he deserved the perfect mate, even when I knew it wasn't me. I can be very arrogant at times," he laughed dryly. "The change in you when you met Sookie…it was nothing I had ever felt from you before. It was the first time since I turned you that I thought if I had ordered you to set her aside, you might actually be strong enough to refuse."

"I would have honored my maker king, though it just might have made me hate you." Only a thousand years could allow me to be so frank with him.

He laughed. "Yes, I think you're right. I think you would have. But like I told you when I met her, I couldn't do that to you now. She's right for you. I know it's tough for your ego to hear, but she'll protect you just as much as you're protecting her. She's loyal to the core, Eric, just like my Liam."

"And now they're on their own in Louisiana together doing God knows what," I smirked.

"Liam has wanted to see Fangtasia for years."

"He'll be safe there, sire, if he goes."

"It's a nice thought, but he is not safe anywhere outside these walls, Eric. Letting him leave was not easy. He's hunted, just like Sookie is by her own people."

"Sookie has Fintan." I didn't like to be reminded about how vulnerable Sookie was when I wasn't near her. I felt like she was sitting right out in the open with a target on her chest.

"Liam doesn't have Fintan."

"No, he doesn't," I agreed. "However, despite my warnings and Liam's discouragement, he's got Sookie watching his back. And as much as I don't like to think about it, she _will_ use her light power to defend him."

Godric grinned again and shook his head lightly. "Don't hide her behind you, Eric. I know you want to and I don't blame you for it, but she's an amazing asset. She's what they'll never see coming and won't live to tell about. I think she'll get brighter. I think one day, she'll be bright enough to kill a vampire. And if you keep feeding from her, she'll never be too bright for you."

I remembered when Sookie and I made love in the hotel room on the ocean. I wanted to spend the rest of my existence surrounded by that light. That light was warm, it was safe, it was _life_. But it was an illusion, because nothing was that warm, that safe. But damn if part of me didn't think this place she brought us to might be. Part of me wasn't sure we were in this _realm_ anymore; sometimes, I thought maybe we were between this world and Fairy. Logically, I knew that couldn't be true; I wouldn't be able to go there. At least, I didn't think so. But a fanciful part of me, a part I didn't even know existed until I met her, thought, well, just maybe.

"I'm not so sure I have a choice anymore. She's reckless and impulsive. If I don't train her well, I'll lose her." And then, I was sure to go fucking crazy.

"Well, I guess I can't stall anymore," Godric said. "It's dangerous to keep Sophie Anne waiting."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be waiting for her too. She can't possibly be ready yet," I smirked as we walked out of the room. "She's smart, sire; she's clever. Be careful."

"Your concern is touching."

"I'm speaking now instead of forever holding my peace."

"You've never held your peace on anything, my child. Now tell me, would you do anything less for Pam?"

"You should have more faith in my ability to take care of myself."

"I do, Eric, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't still do what I can to protect you."

"If I decide to move to Massachusetts are you going to marry that monarch, too?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Massachusetts is an old hag and already married to Illinois anyway," he waved the mere thought away.

"My point is, Godric -"

"I know your point, Eric. You know this is not all about you." We stopped at the doors leading out to the gardens. He glanced outside at the waiting guests and witnesses and looked back to me. "She wanted to do this in the solarium, I refused. Some things really are sacred."

"He would have burned the place to the ground when he got back."

"Yes, he would have. He still might. The disinfecting that will go on when he returns will take weeks." He was amused now, but I still felt his sadness.

He did not _have_ to do this. It's not like he was being forced to. He could have just as easily turned Sophie Anne down like he did all the others. But he was right; I would probably do the same for Pam. I had been approached with marriage proposals for Pam, but like Godric, I never seriously entertained them either. Not because I was selfish, I could let her go. But because, like Godric, I couldn't force her into something that would make her unhappy.

The repercussions from her for such an action alone made me cringe.

So I followed him out into the night to bear witness to the marriage, while both of our hearts were in Louisiana.

**~Sookie~**

I stayed up pretty late last night talking and gossiping with Liam. He was full of funny stories. Fintan had come by to check on me. When he found out Eric went to Texas, and I have a feeling Eric called him to tell him he was going to Texas, Fintan assured me he would be near. I wasn't sure where he was going to hang out and I felt a little guilty that he might be in any way uncomfortable outside, but then I think my human definition of uncomfortable was not the same as a supernatural's definition. They didn't seem to care if they got rained on or it was too cold or too hot.

Liam slept in the hidey hole Eric had built for Pam. I was going to invite him to stay in the bedroom with me, but Eric nixed that idea before he left. He was concerned about Liam being that close to my fairy blood when he woke up.

So after I got up, took a shower and ate brunch, I continued on with my project of sifting through all the junk in my attic. I worked into the afternoon.

"Sookie." I jumped at Quinn's voice and spun around with my hand on my heart. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay. I didn't hear you come in. What's up?"

"There's something weird going on in the woods," he said without preamble.

"It's probably Fintan," I said standing up and brushing my hands off on my jeans.

"Well, he's out there, but it wasn't him. Something's out there, something not good, so we're going to go check it out."

"You and Fintan?"

I was getting a little nervous. Something weird? What did that mean? Did they pick up that other scent again?

"Yeah. Fintan thinks you should go lock yourself in your room while we're gone. I agree."

"Lock myself up? There's something dangerous out there?"

"We don't know what it is that's out there," Quinn replied. "Until we do, we want to make sure you're safe."

I sighed heavily and shrugged. I didn't like the idea of locking myself in. What was I going to do in there for an indeterminable length of time? I supposed I could read. I was annoyed at the inconvenience of it, but then I remembered that I had promised Eric I wouldn't give Quinn a hard time when he pulled stuff like this, so I resigned myself to hanging out in the bedroom for a while.

I followed Quinn back downstairs and he stood outside my bedroom door.

"Really? You're going to stand there until I'm in the bedroom?"

"You bet your pretty little ass I am."

I sighed again and went into the kitchen. "The least you can do is let me get a snack and a drink since I have no idea how long I'll be in there." As I gathered up my provisions, including getting my book from the living room, Quinn waited patiently.

Fintan, however, popped in impatiently. "What the hell is taking so long?"

"I'm getting stuff together," I snapped irritably. "Would you stick me in there with nothing to eat or drink and going out of my mind with boredom?"

"There's no need to be so irritable, dear one. This is for your safety."

"I wonder where my irritability comes from," I muttered, glaring at him.

I stomped off into the bedroom, glared at Fintan again for good measure and closed myself in. I wasn't so pissy about this until my grandfather showed up and got pissy with me. I took a deep breath when the door closed and the little green light on the keypad showed the door as locked and secured.

I flopped down on my comfy new mattress and tried not to think of Eric. He'd be asleep right now. Well, I _knew _he was asleep right now because I could feel it. Not as strongly as I normally could, I assumed because of the distance, but I could tell he was not awake. I glanced over at the clock next to the bed and saw that it was just three o'clock and wondered when he would wake up today.

I laid there and started to think about the things I wanted to do with the rest of the house. I was content to stay lost in my thoughts when I first started to smell the smoke.

Something was burning? Did I leave something turned on? No. I wasn't cooking anything. I should probably stay where I was, right? Quinn or Fintan would notice that smell and take care of it. Right? But they were going to investigate something in the woods. How far were they going? What if there was a fire right now and they were too far away to smell it?

No, they couldn't be. Quinn was a tiger. Surely he could smell smoke for miles, right? Wait, wasn't this room fire safe? I didn't know. I also didn't know if Liam's hidey hole was fire safe either and he was sleeping. He would have no way to get out.

My decision made, I jumped off of my bed and keyed in the code to open the door.

I ran out into the hall and it was filled with smoke. There was a fire.

"Fintan!" I shouted. "Quinn!"

The kitchen was ablaze. How did this happen? I coughed as the smoke stung my eyes and throat. I tried to remember where the fire extinguisher was when a familiar voice stopped me.

"Sookie, you little vampire-loving, whore, it's about time you came out in the open."

I spun around and stared in confusion as Arlene Fowler's ex-husband/fiancé Rene Lenier stood in my living room.

"Rene?" I asked, coughing again. "Why are you doing here?"

"I'm here because you're next." He said simply, but this time, without his Cajun accent. I scanned his mind and saw that he was the one that killed Maudette and Dawn. He killed another girl in Shreveport and one in Monroe, too. All girls that had slept with vampires…including his sister.

"Rene, I'm not alone." I said backing up. The smoke was getting thicker and the only place to get away from him was the burning kitchen.

"Sure you are. Those other two are deep in the woods now. I watched them go."

I held up my hand in warning. "Stay away," I ordered firmly. I didn't want to hurt him. I just wanted to get him out of my way so I could get Liam and get out of the house.

"What are you going to do? Slap me? Push me? Aw, Sook, I'm much stronger than you."

I didn't feel any energy in my hand. Where was my light power? I felt light-headed now and I started to have a coughing fit. Rene seized his chance and all out punched me in the jaw. I spun around, reeling from the pain and disorientation and fell to the floor, coughing and dizzy. Then his hands were on my throat and my strength was leaving me quickly. I felt a tingling in my hands, but it wasn't enough power.

I couldn't breathe and my vision faded. He hit me again and his hands returned to my throat. Vaguely, I felt pain in other parts of my body, like maybe he was hurting other parts of me, but my mind was too far away to make any connection.

Suddenly, Rene was off of me and I took in a deep, gulping breath, which filled my lungs with smoke. I was dragged by the foot out of the kitchen and onto the front porch, coughing the whole way. The fresh air was like heaven.

I looked up, but my savior was blurry and running back into the house.

"Sookie!" Fintan was at my side, drawing me into his arms. "I am here, child." He wrapped his arms around me, and it was amazing how fast I felt better. My mind was clearing. My eyes and throat still stung, but things were clearing up for me. I could see the smoke billowing out of my house as Quinn ran inside.

"Liam," I croaked. "He's in the hidey hole in the spare bedroom."

"He's out. He saved you. The tiger has gone in after him."

"Please put the fire out, Fintan. It's all I've got left of my family."

"The tiger will try to put the fire out after he kills your attacker."

"Rene," I said hoarsely. "He was Jason's friend. He killed all those other girls."

I could hear sirens in the distance. I didn't know who had called the fire department, but they were on their way. Quinn came out onto the porch supporting Liam.

"Sookie!" Liam said, crawling along the porch to me.

"Stay out of the sun, Liam." I said faintly. I could see how weak he was from exerting himself when he should be resting. There was blood coming out of his ears and nose. These must be those bleeds Eric told me about. He's right. They were very unattractive.

"He's dead, Sookie."

"Get Liam somewhere safe," I said from the comfort and safety of my grandfather's arms.

"Maybe if the fairy gave me some of his blood, I could get there safely all on my own," Liam suggested. He must not be too hurt if he could joke. I coughed in response.

Fintan hissed at him.

"We have to get away from the house," I said wearily. "Cover Liam. We can get in the cars and go to Fangtasia."

"I am not taking you to Fangtasia until you are recovered. Your vampire isn't here. You need to stay with me to recover fully. Quinn will drive the vampire to Fangtasia." My blood came alive and Fintan's cell phone rang. He sighed in frustration, put it to his ear and said, "They're alive, vampire; I do not have time for you." He snapped it shut and slid it back into his pocket.

"Fintan!" I whined. "If that was Eric, he'll be so worried!"

"Imagine how much I don't care, dear one."

I sighed and curled myself closer to him. His arms tightened around me. He may have a gruff demeanor, but I felt loved and I knew that I was. He leaned down, tightened his hold more and whispered in my ear, "You are _always_ in trouble, child!"

"I try not to be. I went to my room like you told me to."

The fire trucks pulled up as Quinn came out of the house announcing that the fire was out, but the kitchen was probably a total loss. He wrapped a smelly blanket around Liam, who wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Is Sookie okay, Jason?" the Firechief asked Fintan, coming onto the porch with Detective Andy Bellefleur.

"Yeah, she's good, right, Sook?" Fintan replied sounding exactly like my brother. It was actually pretty creepy.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"What's that vamp doing here?"

"He was staying with me, Carl." Feeling better, I pulled away from Fintan and sat up, but he continued to rub my back. I had to admit, it felt pretty good. The more physical contact I had with him, the better I felt. "I have to get him someplace safe. He can't be out in the sunlight. Rene Lenier is inside. He broke into my house, started the fire and attacked me. He was going to kill me because I'm with a vampire. He killed those other girls."

"He told you that?" Andy demanded.

"Yes." I lied. He thought it anyway and that's just as good to me.

"I'm takin' Sook to the hospital to get checked out," Fintan announced, again sounding like Jason and helping me to my feet. "She can come down and give you a statement or whatever later, Andy."

"There's no need for that," Liam said standing up, but staying in the shade. "We can do that right now, right, Detective?"

Andy looked at Liam, right in the eye, and Liam put a whammy on him. I suppose it wouldn't be good for the papers to report that King of Texas' consort was in a house fire in Louisiana. When Carl the fire chief looked over, Liam got him too. Liam weaved a whole tale for Andy about how Rene came into the house in a rage, yelling and carrying on about what a whore I was for sleeping with a vampire and how Liam woke up and got into the living room at the exact moment Carl and Andy busted into the house. Carl bashed Rene over the head with a fire extinguisher, then Andy went to cuff him, but it was too late for poor Rene, he had died, but not before confessing to all the other killings, effectively absolving Jason of any wrongdoing. It was quite the gripping story.

When he sank against the house once he was finished, I rushed to his side. I pressed my hand to his cheek and then turned to Andy.

"You've got what you need. Now he needs to get out of here. He needs blood, right away."

Andy and Carl walked into the house in a bit of a daze, while Fintan and Quinn helped me and Liam to the car.


	34. Chapter 34

**34.**

**A/N: I wrote the end of this before season 4 started to air. After seeing season four, I decided to stick with what I had rather than change it to fit the show. I don't get a heck of a lot of time to write for my own pleasure lately. This is a bit of a rebellion. This chapter isn't all that long and I'm pretty darned sure the next chapter is the last one. **

**~ERIC~**

The second my feet hit the pavement outside Fangtasia I was through the door with Godric right alongside of me. The bar was closed. Pam made the executive decision not to open this evening on account of what happened at Sookie's house as well as the fact that Liam was at the bar.

Sookie was just slamming down a shot glass and laughing like a loon.

"Ha! That's six! Don't tell me I can't drink!"

She squeaked when I lifted her right off the bar stool. I held her under her arms, raised her up and out as I took a full inventory of her body for injuries as her feet dangled about a good foot off the floor. There were fading bruises on her face and around her throat.

I began to seethe. My fangs dropped and I hissed low in my throat. I knew the perpetrator was dead, but someone would feel my wrath for this all the same. Knowing this, everyone in the room, other than Godric, Liam and Sookie, remained frozen in their spot not wanting to draw my attention.

But Sookie, ah now Sookie could feel my rage. She didn't cower. No, once her initial shock wore off, she smiled. Brightly.

"Eric!"

She reached for me, but I still held her at arms' length and so her hands just sort of flailed around in front of me as she tried to grab on. Behind her, Godric was giving Liam a similar inspection, but he was alright, having gotten some blood from Pam, which, quite frankly, shocked the shit out of me.

"Cheese and rice, Eric," Sookie finally sighed. "Don't leave me hanging here."

I crushed her to my chest this time, banding my arms around her. I inhaled her living, pulsing fairy scent deeply, letting it roll slowly like smoke throughout my head. She smelled more potent than before. I figured that was Fintan's doing.

She grabbed onto my shirt and allowed herself to be held. I did what I could to calm down, but it wasn't easy. Something was off in our blood bond and it was turning things askew. Things seemed…lopsided, I suppose you could say and it was affecting my ability to control my emotions.

"It's okay, Eric," she murmured. "We're alright."

"I knew that," I replied, my face nuzzled in her neck. I tightened my hold. Knowing was not the same as seeing.

She drew back and put a hand on the bar to steady herself a bit. I looked around at the occupants of the room; Godric and Liam, Pam, Bobby, Quinn, Ginger, Long Shadow and other vampire employees. They were clearly getting ready to open for the evening until Pam decided against it.

I looked down at the bar where the shot glasses were lined up in front of the stool Sookie was sitting on when I came in. I turned back to where she stood, continuing to smile hugely, and arched an interested brow.

"We were celebrating," she giggled. "Well, I guess I was doing the most celebrating." Then she turned and pointed at Liam. "Well, Liam – Liam was drinking that really expensive blood. He had a few already too. I don't think we can stay at the house for a while. And since I almost died – again - and my house is all sorts of a mess, I figured I'd drink a little."

She shrugged and reached for another shot glass, but Godric's hand closed over hers to stop her. Surprised, Sookie looked up at him. "Sookie, my dear," Godric smiled. "While I certainly would never begrudge you your celebration, and you definitely deserve it, perhaps another form of celebration is in order."

"Buy why?" She asked wide-eyed. "I'm not driving anywhere and I imagine I'll just go downstairs."

The others in the room tensed and watched wide eyed. They'd never witnessed a human question a regent before, certainly not Godric. In fact, they'd never even witnessed _me_ question Godric before, not that I didn't do it often. But here was this little blonde girl, whom they still did not know what made her so special, not only questioning Godric's obvious order, but attempting to the remove the shot glass out from underneath his hand.

Now I knew what felt so off before. It hadn't even occurred to me until Godric stopped Sookie from drinking another shot of alcohol.

Godric smiled at Sookie indulgently. "My dear, the alcohol is tainting your blood and it is affecting Eric. He almost flew into a tree on the way here."

"You're kidding," Pam deadpanned, looking over at me. I didn't need to be a mind-reader to know that was her "you dumbass" look. I nearly groaned. I really wished Godric hadn't told the room at large that bit of information.

Sookie looked back at me. She looked just as amazed as the others. _"Really?"_ She asked incredulously. "That can happen?"

"Apparently, my love."

"That's – well, that's just – _cool_." I smiled at her obvious delight. I had to keep reminding myself that she didn't know the intricacies and scientific properties of the blood bond. I didn't even know it was possible. I doubt Godric did either, he just probably figured it out faster than I did. I gently pried her hand away from the shot glass war and held it in my own.

"Coolness factor aside, my beauty, let's not impair my faculties any more this evening."

I sat down on the stool next to her and motioned to Pam with my free hand. Pam slid a large glass of water in front of Sookie and a bottle of True Blood in front of me. I didn't look like I'd be feasting on fairy this evening, or quite possibly tomorrow either.

Pam shooed away the rest of the staff to various other tasks and she, Godric, Liam, Quinn, Sookie and I stayed around the bar. I sensed the tension between Godric and Liam. Liam was clearly happy to be with Godric again, but it looked like it would take the awkwardness some time to pass between them.

I'd put money on a full remodel and redecoration of the Texas palace as soon as he walked back through the door. His frustration had to go somewhere and I bet it was about to hit Godric's bank account.

"Eric, if you do not object, Liam and I will return to Texas tonight," Godric said.

"Absolutely, sire. Would you like an escort?"

"We'll be flying; we should be fine."

He'd barely make it back before daylight at this rate, especially carrying Liam who was much too young to possess the ability for flight. But I couldn't begrudge him wanting to get back as soon as possible.

Sookie tossed herself into Liam's arms and the two clung to each other like they were about to be parted for years, instead of, I was sure, weeks. Godric would give Liam whatever he wanted to make amends for the marriage, and if that meant ordering his child to bring the Best Friend to the King's Consort to Texas for many visits, that's just what that meant.

When Sookie and Liam parted, I took Liam's hands in my own, then very uncharacteristically kissed both of his cheeks. "I won't ever forget what you did," I said softly. He was the reason my beloved was still alive and whether he was annoying or not, I would be forever loyal to him because of it.

He raised his hand to my cheek, stroked once with his thumb and smiled lightly. Without another word, he dropped his hand and began to head for the door ahead of Godric. "Let's be on our way, please, Godric. There is much to do at home."

"I knew it," Godric muttered with a sigh and took his leave, as well.

When I looked back to Sookie, there were tears in her eyes. "Quinn, come back to my office." I reached over and handed him Sookie's glass of water and my True Blood then swung Sookie up into my arms. But for the fact that she was drunk as a skunk, she could probably have walked back to the office all on her own, but I was reluctant to keep my hands off her for now.

When we entered my office, I settled Sookie down on the couch. I was about to hand her the water glass when she plunged face first into the leather. I felt my blood calm as she dropped off to sleep.

"Thank God," I sighed and turned back to the desk and sat in my chair. Quinn was nearly successful in stifling a chuckle. "Where is Fintan?" I asked getting down to business.

"Reporting to the Prince," Quinn said.

"Who was in the woods, did you find out?"

"Witches."

The word dropped between us like an ax. I needed this like a fucking hole in the head. I put both feet on the floor and leaned my elbows on the desk. "Did you say _witches_?" Though I knew full well he did.

"Yes, sheriff."

"You spoke with them?"

"I did." Quinn nodded. "They were a small coven, led by a brother and sister. They're looking to set up in Shreveport."

"They'll be disappointed."

"The sister said they planned to call on you."

"Did she?"

"We got the impression she knew you."

"Did she give you a name?"

"She said she was called 'Hallow," Quinn said.

Shit. I sighed and sat back in my chair. Hallow and I didn't have a very good history. Vampires had a reputation for not being picky when it came to lovers. I, however, was. Witches were testy, conceited without much reason to be, high maintenance, naïve and, quite frankly, extremely annoying and Hallow was no exception. I had no desire to get caught up with witches. They were going to have to find another area in which to set up shop. It wouldn't be mine. There were plenty of witch covens in New Orleans. If she liked Louisiana so much, they could go practice there.

I looked over to where Sookie was snoring lightly on the couch. Area 9 was getting quite full of the many supernatural factions and I was starting to think it was time to do some housecleaning. Perhaps I would let Niall handle that.

"This goes without saying, Quinn, but I don't want them anywhere near Sookie."

"I already figured as much."

"A witch will be able to identify power, though I doubt she would be able to pinpoint the type of magic Sookie has. Did they speak with Fintan?"

"No," Quinn confirmed. "He kept his distance."

"They likely would have tried to challenge him once they sensed magic. I have no doubt that Fintan would easily kick a witch's ass, but Sookie is still untrained, unproven. There's no telling what her inexperience would do."

"All due respect, sheriff, it's about time you found out."

"Now you sound like Godric," I muttered and dismissed him with a hand wave.

As he walked out the door, I returned to the couch and gathered Sookie in my arms. She snuggled down into my chest and all I could think was that if she vomited on me, I'd be incredibly unhappy…and totally disgusted.

Logically, I knew Quinn and Godric were right. She had some training from Fintan. Aside from her microwave fingers, she was a gifted telepath. I needed to start using that. I didn't forget that I had tasks for her here. I wanted her to read the humans that worked here, came here for entertainment, the ones I did business with.

We made it downstairs and into my bedroom without any mishaps. I laid her down on the bed, pulled a water bottle out of the refrigerator in my – our—room, unscrewed the cap and then nudged her awake.

"Mmpfhoa," she murmured, pushed her hair out of her face and rolled over. Believe it or not, I was quite charmed.

"My beauty, wake up a moment and drink this water. I run a bar. I know breathers get hungover when they drink too much."

She sat up and scowled at me. "I never get hungover," she grumbled, but took the water bottle from me all the same. "And I hardly ever drink alcohol." She tipped the bottle to her lips and drank…and drank…and drank…She took a breath and drank the rest. I think it would be a good idea to leave the bathroom light on for her so she didn't break her neck trying to find it in the dark later. I suddenly had a funny image of Sookie lighting up a finger like E.T. instead of using a flashlight. I smirked, but didn't laugh and found myself curious if she could do that.

She handed the empty bottle back to me and dropped back into the pillows with a sigh. I disposed of the bottle and returned to the bed, perching myself over her.

"Other than drunk, Sookie, how do you feel? Do you feel any after effects from the fire?" I asked.

"No, actually," she said. "Fintan helped. He was almost as good as vampire blood."

"Fairies are supposed to be able to heal each other just with their presence."

Tears slipped down her cheeks and I wiped them away. "I was scared, Eric. I was so scared."

"I'm sorry I couldn't kill the monster myself."

"Liam did," she smiled lightly. "He really was wonderful. Then he glamoured Detective Bellefleur and told him the fire chief killed him when they came in and found Rene attacking me."

"He has his uses."

"I could feel my life slipping away when he was choking me."

"I know, lover, I felt it too. I was so far away and I could feel your fear as well. Godric and I took flight immediately. I was desperate to get to you."

I buried my face in the crook of her neck again seeking comfort, seeking to hide from my own fears of losing her. I would one day and I really was in no way prepared for it, though her life seemed constantly in danger and I was well aware she could be abruptly taken from me at any given time.

She stroked my hair, my neck, then her hands ran along my shoulders. I felt her lips trail along my neck and I smirked. "My love, you're hammered. I wouldn't want to make you sick."

"I feel fine," she whispered. "Eric, I want to feel good; I want to feel _alive_. Please."

"Lover, you never have to beg for me."

I pulled her shirt over her head and rained kisses all along her face, down her neck, around her chest, over her breasts. She arched against me and moaned. Her light was already dull and pulsing around us. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered Godric's words about her getting brighter. I couldn't feed from her now with her blood tainted the way it was with the alcohol. I could only hope what I had from her before I left for Texas would be enough, assuming, of course, Godric's theory was right.

She removed my shirt and I moved back up to capture her lips in a long, starving kiss. She wrapped her legs around me and moved her hips erotically. "My beauty, it's so much better when there are no clothes between us."

"Hurry then," she whispered harshly. Vampire speed worked best in these situations and our clothes were entirely removed in mere seconds.

I wanted to take my time with her, to revel in her touch, her feel, her scent, her sound, but my mind was reeling with the could-have-beens of the last few hours and her light was getting brighter, making me desperate for her. She cried out as I plunged into her, spurred on by her low chant of my name. She grabbed both my hands in hers and I felt the tingling go up my arms. The glow encompassed us and I was warm, happy, deliriously so, but I felt no danger.

She screamed out her climax and I all but whimpered mine, humbled by her gift again, for I knew that it was a precious gift. It did not happen every time we made love and I was selfishly sorry and greedy for it. I dropped my head to her shoulder and shifted my weight as she caught her breath. Her eyes were closed so she didn't see me reach out and try to touch the fading light. I felt immensely better, more settled, back on an even keel.

The light would be back again, I was sure of it.


	35. Chapter 35

**35. **

**A/N: BTW, I wrote the ending to this story before season 4 started. I thought about changing it a bit to fit Marnie, but decided against it. **

**Thank you so much for joining me on this ride. It's been SO much fun to write and interact with you. There is another True Blood story in the hopper, though I can't give any kind of honest timeframe that I will start posting it. It could be tomorrow, it could be a few months. The working title is "Dead Serious."**

**ERIC**

"Sheriff, you have a visitor," Pam drawled in her bored way as she entered my office with another woman.

Hallow had changed since I last saw her. She had trimmed down her figure; her brown hair didn't look so lifeless and her face no longer looked so gaunt. It appeared she had some work done. Extortion was profitable.

"Sheriff Northman," her drawl was nowhere near as charming as Sookie's. "It's been too long since we've last seen each other."

"Or not long enough, depending on your opinion," I replied with absolutely no hint of welcome or happiness to see her.

"You're looking delicious, as usual." She sounded lustful and Pam rolled her eyes.

"And you look…expensive." It was the best I could do. She certainly looked better than she had the last time I saw her, but she was still no relief to sore eyes. While I could still appreciate physical beauty, it no longer held a sexual appeal to me. Every other woman quiet literally paled in comparison to Sookie. I was, of course, drawn to the scent of Hallow's blood. I could not deny the nature of that beast, but I would have no need to feed from her, and I admit that I had once long ago. Why have a hot dog when you could have caviar?

"A vast and enjoyable improvement over how I was before." She began to wander the room and Pam stood sentry by my desk. Pam didn't trust witches either. The idiot amateurs didn't bother us so much as the more powerful ones like Hallow; ones who thought they were entitled to things they were not; ones that used bullying techniques to try to get what they wanted.

"What do you want, Hallow?" I asked.

"My, my," she cooed. "Your manners haven't improved."

"I'm a busy man."

"So I hear."

I arched a brow at her. So she heard? So she heard what? I had been so busy and absorbed lately that I didn't have my ear to the ground as I normally did. I would have Bobby rectify that. It was time to put my finger back on the pulse of the supernatural community. Sookie's protection depended on my being fully away of other supe factions' activities and whereabouts. Hallow's presence in the area really shouldn't have taken me by surprise.

I waved my hand for her to get on with whatever it was that she wanted to talk about. I had perfected showing utter boredom over the centuries and I did so now. It made people fucking crazy.

"I have a business proposition for you," she announced.

"I'm not interested," I immediately dismissed and Pam chuckled.

"You haven't even heard what it is yet," Hallow sneered.

"Because I don't care what it is," I replied. I sat back in my chair and crossed my feet on my desk. "I'm a wealthy and prosperous man, Hallow, and I have all the partners I need." I gestured to Pam, who followed my lead in showing her disinterest by checking the polish on her nails, then gave them a careless buff on her leather skirt. Pam could look bored _and_ bitchy.

"Witches are extortionists," I continued. "And I'm not in the sucker business."

"Witches provide protection, Eric." Hallow dropped the volume of her voice and the threat was clear. "For a small percentage of the business profits, I can provide charms, spells and enchantments that even the strongest, most talented witch couldn't break. Imagine knowing whether or not every person walking through your door was being truthful." I rolled my eyes. I already had that. "I can set up invisible rooms your vampire customers could bring humans to to feed off of without being caught by the authorities. They'd never even be seen in a raid." Intriguing, but not worth it. I already had strict penalties where that was concerned. "I provide these services for others. I can do the same and more for you."

"And just how much do you think those little magic tricks are worth?" Pam asked.

"Thirty-five percent," Hallow answered.

Ha! Never.

"No thank you. I have effective security," I dismissed rising from my chair. Pam stepped back prepared to show Hallow the door.

"The price is negotiable," Hallow said.

"I don't need your services, Hallow, I won't pay any monetary price for them."

"Six nights," she countered.

"Excuse me?"

"Six nights with you, and maybe a weekly visit, and I'll provide the service for free."

"And you would do what exactly in these six nights?" Pam asked.

Hallow grinned slowly at Pam and then returned her leer back to me. Suddenly, I felt the need to take a shower and then immediately make love to Sookie for hours. Yes, even I could be skeeved out by someone. I had standards.

"Eric is a notorious lover."

"You won't be finding out first hand."

"Since when are you so picky?" Hallow hissed.

Since I fell in love, but I wasn't about to tell this bitch that.

"I'm not interested, witch; not now not ever."

She looked very pissed and offended. I didn't care. My blood came alive and I knew Sookie had woken up and probably saw the whole nasty business transpire. I felt her flight up the stairs. Well, this should be interesting.

**SOOKIE**

I woke with a gasp. The dream was too clear to be anything but a dream. I looked around the room and knew immediately I was downstairs by myself. I flew out of bed and rummaged around, pulling random clothes on.

I entered the security code at the door and then burst out into the hallway. The vault door was a little more difficult to open and it felt like it took forever. There were…guests … downstairs in the basement and they called out to me as I ran by. Their terrified and desolate thoughts crammed briefly into my head before I blocked them out and continued to run upstairs.

I bounded into Eric's office like a woman possessed. I briefly thought that I probably should start knocking first; that there were probably things that went on in his office that I either didn't want to know about or were possibly unsafe for me. Then again, Eric can always feel me coming, so he could prepare for my abrupt entrances.

Pam was in the room with another woman I didn't know, but recognized from my dream. Tensions were very high. I could feel Eric's anger; it was pulsing off of him. He was angry, offended and underneath, slightly nervous. That made _me_ nervous.

I moved to Eric's side, squeezed his hand quickly and then let it drop. I knew better than to make it appear as if he actually _needed_ me for anything in front of other humans – or other supes for that matter. I knew better than to show anyone at all that I was a weakness for him.

"Sookie, my love," Eric said pleasantly, not taking his eyes off his visitor. "How much did you see?"

"Six nights with you," I said tightly and turned to Eric's 'guest.'

"Hallow, this is my wife, Sookie," Eric introduced. "She takes exception to me having sex with someone else…even if I wanted to slum it with someone like you."

The so-called Hallow arched an eyebrow at me. I was being sized up and clearly found lacking.

"Well, well, well, I meet the Sheriff's precious human pet at last. The whole territory is buzzing about you. All anyone can talk about is how completely ensnared Sheriff Northman is; spellbound by something about you no one can quite put their finger on." Hallow paced slowly back and forth before me, looking me over, thoughtfully, competitively.

"She doesn't intend to leave here, Eric, until she gets her way," I said. Hallow's eyes widened, then narrowed quickly.

"She won't," Eric assured. "I won't be bribed."

"What are you?" Hallow asked me directly.

"Not someone you should fuck with," I replied with more confidence than I felt.

"Oh really?" Hallow asked sweetly. She muttered something and Eric screamed and fell to his knees, clutching his head. Pam and I rushed to his side.

"Eric!" I shouted frantically trying to pry his hands off where they felt welded to his head. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Well, that's awfully sweet," Hallow chuckled.

Pam was able to pull his hands away. He raised his head and looked into my eyes. I gasped and pulled back involuntarily. His eyes were alarmingly empty. Normally, they were so full of life. They were calculating, planning, laughing, doing _something_. His gaze darted around the room and he jumped on his heels and crouched.

"What did you do to him?" Pam hissed, rounding on the witch.

"I said there would be hell to pay," Hallow shrugged. "I do not make empty threats."

"Fix my maker."

"No."

"Fix my maker, _now_." Pam's voice was frighteningly low and even. She took a step toward the witch and Hallow threw up her hand. Pam seemed to run into an invisible wall.

"Not so fierce now, are you?" Hallow chided.

"Eric," I whispered, running a hand down his cheek. I felt the tears fall out of my eyes. He looked scared and vulnerable. He didn't know what was going on. I wasn't even sure if he was in there.

How dare that bitch.

How dare this skanky little magician come in here and threaten those that I love. How dare she come in here and make her haughty demands that she had no right making in the first place and then throw her little temper tantrum when she didn't get her way.

The more Eric stared at me through pleading and frightened eyes, the more pissed off I got. I pushed to my feet and rounded on Hallow.

"Put him back the way he was," I demanded.

"Exactly the way he was?" She asked sweetly. "You don't want him maybe less arrogant or a little more subservient? Seems to me he could use it."

"I want him _exactly_ the way he was. I want him back right now, bitch."

Pam looked impressed with how aggressive I was. Hallow looked surprised herself. She certainly wasn't expecting any trouble from _me_ that was for damn sure.

Hallow was human and I could read her thoughts. She had no intention of turning Eric back until she got her deal. She was a bully, but she was unsure of me. She could sense something different about me, but didn't know what it was. She was both curious and apprehensive to find out.

I took a deep breath and raised my hand to her, palm facing forward. I had no idea what was going to happen when I attempted this. Right now, I was seeing red. She attacked the man I loved and he was not that man right now. Now, Eric's no innocent in life, but he'd done nothing to provoke this witch's ire.

"Here's what's going to happen," I said quietly as Hallow looked from my eyes to my flat palm. "You're going to put Eric back the way he was, then you are going to run very far away from here and never return. Do that and you can live."

"_You're _threatening _me_?" Hallow laughed. "And what are you going to do? We've all heard of Eric's little Southern Belle, precious and delicate human pet. Are you going to slap me?"

Eric rose to his feet behind me. He leaned one palm on the desk and pressed the other to his forehead. I could feel his distress, confusion and sheer panic through the bond. The more agitated he got, the more irate _I_ got. That had to be throwing him for quite the loop right now.

My breathing picked up. I wasn't sure what I was about to do, but suddenly, Fintan popped into the room and stood just to my side. Everyone, but oddly enough me, was stunned. Hallow certainly didn't know what to make of it. I never took my eyes off of her.

Fintan gently took my outstretched wrist between his fingers and lowered it an inch or so. "Directly for the heart, child," he directed softly. Hallow's eyes widened.

"Holy shit, a full-blooded fucking fairy," Pam whispered. Hallow looked a lot more alarmed now.

"You're supposed to be extinct." Hallow said sounding a little nervous now.

"We're not," Fintan said. "Not only have you upset my granddaughter, but you seemed to have directly harmed her mate. Hush now, we're having a training exercise." Hallow didn't know what to make of that. I was almost amused by how flippantly Fintan tossed around the fact that I wanted to kill this woman. The need to protect Eric was bubbling up in me and reaching the boiling point.

"You must put everything you have into it. She's attacked your mate, Sookie."

"Can you fix him?" I asked, breathing heavily. I was fighting the anger so I wouldn't give it to Eric, but this pent up energy had to go somewhere. Fintan glanced back at Eric. He muttered something and then looked back at Hallow.

"Sookie?" Eric's voice sounded confused and quiet.

"You're an amateur," Fintan mocked Hallow.

"He's alright?" I asked. I let my guard down a moment, and looked to Fintan. He immediately righted my form and I looked back to Hallow.

"Eric?" I asked unsure.

"I am alright, lover." He didn't sound it though. He sounded…tired. He _felt_ tired.

"Bullshit," I growled through my teeth.

"Remember, my love, you can't take back what you are about to do; and no one will think you're weak if you don't kill her," he said. He was still speaking quietly and leaning up against the desk. I realized he didn't feel tired, he felt _weak_ and Eric wasn't weak. Eric was larger and stronger than life.

"Damn you," I whispered to Hallow. I could feel my resolve slipping. She knew it too because she suddenly started laughing and straightened up.

"I will do it if you don't," Fintan said. He ran his palm down my hair. Hallow looked a little crazed now. "Either way, she will die here tonight."

"You're not worthy," she spat at me. "How long is a little country bumpkin like you going to hold one such as Eric? He is notorious and you are nobody. I am clearly better suited. I, at least, am not afraid to kill for him."

She raised her hand to me right as Fintan whispered, "We love differently," in my ear. I realized then that she intended to kill me now and do God knew what to Eric and everything seemed to fall into place. All I knew in that moment was that I wasn't going to allow her to succeed and I put everything I had into my hand.

A bright and wild flash exploded from my fingers. The room lit up like nothing I've ever seen before. Pam and Eric screamed. I think I did, but I can't remember if that was me or Hallow. She flew backwards into the filing cabinets and landed with shocked and wide, lifeless eyes. Her chest was scorched.

"God dammit, that was bright," Pam said next to me. "I blistered."

"A _full _fairy's light is ten times brighter than the sun," Fintan explained. "The contact with me gave you an extra boost, my child."

I stared at Hallow. She was dead and I killed her because I needed her dead. I _knew _she wanted to kill me. I heard it in her head. But still, I could have thrown her back and Pam could have killed her, right?

My chest felt tight and my vision began to blur as my eyes filled up with tears. I turned toward my grandfather and began to cry into his shoulder. "We love differently, child," he said again quietly. "For what it's worth, I am proud of you." That was actually worth a lot.

He gently turned me around and guided me to Eric, who was sagging against the desk. Eric wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. I heard the popping sound behind me and knew that Fintan left.

I looked up at Pam. Her skin was red and blistered. "I'm sorry, Pam. Was that from me? Are you alright?"

"I'll get blood," she said. "It looks like I took the brunt of it. Eric doesn't look the worse for the wear. I'll have to remember to think twice before pissing you off, Sookie. That was much worse than the last time you hit me."

I smiled a bit through my tears and then nuzzled my face more into Eric's chest. Pam left the office and closed the door.

"You need blood, I can feel it. What did that bitch _do_ to you, Eric?"

"I don't know, but I wasn't _there_. It was pretty terrifying."

"Are you sure you're not hurt from the light?" I pulled back to study him. He _looked_ alright.

"No, it looks like Pam got the worst of it. I'll have to remember to take cover though the next time you're going to do that." He smirked a bit.

"I don't know if I ever want to do that again," I whispered.

"You will if you're threatened, lover. You defended us and you proved yourself capable of it. We were vulnerable and you rose to the challenge. I am very proud of you, and more than a little scared of you, too."

That _did_ earn a chuckle out of me.

It was a strange feeling, taking a life, even in self-defense. But Eric was right, I _would _do it again and I might not hesitate like I did tonight. If Fintan hadn't come, I don't know if I could have done it. I'd like to think I could, but hindsight is 20/20. As unsettled as I was about taking a life, I was happy that what I loved most was safe because I made it so. Eric had killed to save me in the past and tonight, I returned the favor.

We turned out to be a good team, Eric and I; a very unlikely team, but a good one. And though I couldn't know how long I would have with him in this life, I was sure we'd make the most of the time.

~THE END~


End file.
